Naruto Kowareta
by NerdyHeart
Summary: Minato impregnates Tsunade and they try to keep the secret from everyone except Kushina who is tasked with protecting her. Obito attacks Kushina and extracts the Kyuubi from her. Tsunade gives birth to Naruto, who is then brought to the wing of the hospital that the Kyuubi later destroys. Unaware that Minato took Naruto for the sealing, Tsunade leaves in her grief.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I've been looking for a story like this for a while so I thought I would try writing it. Please give me constructive criticism and try to be mean. I'm not really good with grammar, so I'm looking for a Beta if anyone is interested. I'm changing somethings about canon, like, Minato has black hair—because I think it's stupid that no one made the connection they he is Naruto's father—Kushina is his best friend and has the whisker marks Naruto is famous for—I'm making it a trait of being the jinchuuriki of the nine-tails. I think that's all I changed… if you have question feel free to ask.

 **Chapter 1**

Tsunade wakes up to a pounding headache. She can't help but reprimand herself again from drinking. This happened every time, but it never stops her from doing it again. She groans while stretching out in her bed, only to freeze when a voice pierces her hung over haze telling her to be quiet. There is someone else in her bed. It had been a long time since something like this had happened. She pries her eyes open, despite the light burning her retinas, and looks over to the man sharing a bed with her. She wants to be mad at him, but it was probably her idea to come back to her room. She just wanted to forget everything yesterday, and sex is a good distraction. Honestly, she was just tired. Tired of everything.

His spiky, ink black hair is unrulier then normal. It falls into is face covering his eyes, not that they were open. Had they been open, she would be looking into sapphire eyes that sparkle with life. Despite not remember anything that happened last night, she knows the man she slept with: Minto Namikaze. She watches his as he stiffens, finally realizing that there is someone else in the bed with him. His eyes flash open and he jerks backwards, away from her.

Her hazel eyes widen as he falls off the bed with and exclamation, "Tsunade-sama!"

Tsunade rolls her eyes. "Obviously, you've never done anything like this before," she sighs, waiting for him to emerge from the floor. How Konoha made a man who was still practically a child Hokage is beyond her.

A red face peeks at her, mortification written all over his face. "No. No, I haven't."

Tsunade lips morph into a feral smile, knowing she can intimidate him into getting her way. "We will pretend this never happened. It will never be talked about or thought about again after this morning. Is that understood?"

Nodding his head like a bobble head, Minto breathes a sigh of relief causing Tsunade to sit up in bed and narrow her eyes at him. "Why are you so relieved? Most men would be ecstatic to have slept with me. Is it my age? I'm not that much older than you." She knows that she looks older than she really is due to her Creation Rebirth, but she still looks amazing. Or at least she thinks she still looks amazing. Maybe she should start using a transformation technique to make herself look younger.

"NO!" Minto looks panicked as he denies her claim. "I just don't want sensei finding out."

Tsunade tries to detect a lie in his face, but what he is saying seems true. Never the less, she is going to be using that transformation technique from now on. "He better not find out. If he does, you'll be losing part of your anatomy."

Minto's skin loses all color as he races to put on his clothes. "He won't be hearing it from me, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade falls back onto the bed, pulling the sheet up to her neck. The day is just stating and she already wants it to be over. She closes her eyes and waits for him to leave. After the last time, she had promised herself that she would never do it again. Yet her she is in the same situation. She just prays he leaves soon, and thankfully she doesn't have to wait too long. After he's gone, Tsunade takes the pillow out from beneath her head and screams into it. She really needs to stop drinking. If she doesn't she is going to end up pregnant or with a STD.

Someone knocks on her door and she knows that it has to be Shizune. Unless it was that damn brat Minto coming back for something. "Come in."

"I brought you breakfast, Tsunade-sensei." Tsunade breaths in a sigh of relief seeing that it's Shizune.

"And why did you do that?" Tsunade askes with suspicion. Shizune rarely indulges her like this.

"You had a rough night. I thought this would make you feel better." She smiles and places the tray on the dresser. Tsunade pales as she wonders just what exactly Shizune means, but her question is answered in the next breath. "I know how hard the anniversary of Nawaki's death always hits you."

Tsunade closes her eyes at the reminder. Her baby brother is dead. A hollow ache fills her chest and her eyes burn. The tears don't fall though. They had dried up years ago. Pulling herself together, she smiles at her apprentice. "Thank you, Shizune."

* * *

It's been two months since her run in with Minato. She had decided to give up on sake for good. Nawaki wouldn't want to drink herself into a stupor, and having drunk sex she can't remember isn't good for her health. Shizune's thrill that she decided to get sober is only dampened by her increased gambling addiction. The older blonde doesn't care though, if she isn't going to drink her night away, she might as well gamble it. Not to mention, gambling kept her mind too busy to think about what nausea, fatigue, and increased bust size means.

Knowing she can't avoid it forever, Tsunade takes a deep breath and calls her apprentice into the room from the couch in the living room of their motel. "Shizune! I want you to practice you medical ninjutsu."

"Hai, Tsunade-sensei." Shizune goes to her bedroom to grab her medical bag. "Who will I be practicing on?"

"Me." Tsunade's voice doesn't allow for questions.

"Yes, Sensei," Shizune mutters, trying to figure out what's wrong. "Will you lay down?"

Tsunade follows the instructions and places her hands over her stomach. "Remember to let your chakra flow with my chakra. Don't fight the natural stream and just follow it around my body."

Nodding her head, Shizune lets her chakra flow into her sensei. She can feel the ebb and flow of her sensei's life force as it moves through her body. Shizune bites her lip when most of her chakra is redirected towards the center of Tsunade's body instead of the next chakra point. Heading her sensei's advice, Shizune let the chakra lead her to Tsunade's uterus where it enters a growing fetus.

Licking her lips, Shizune looks up at Tsunade. "Tsunade-sensei, I think you're pregnant."

Tsunade raises her brow at the hesitancy. "You think or you know?"

Takes a deep breath. "I know."

The older blonde smiles at her student. "That's what I thought." Tsunade heaves herself off the coach and stalks over to her room. "Shizune, we're moving out."

"Where are we going?"

"Konoha." Tsunade grabs all of her cloths and seals them into a scroll.

"Why?" Shizune keeps her excitement low, knowing that hoping too much would lead to disappointment. Even if they were going to Konoha, they probably wouldn't be staying there. Plus there's the curiosity who the father can be.

"The father of my baby lives there." She struts out the front door knowing that Shizune will follow close behind. Her mind is racing, trying to figure out what she's going to do. A part of her wants to punch him through a wall, after all it's his fault she's in this situation. But at the same time she wants to run away and keep the baby to herself. The last thing she wants to do is share the best thing that has ever happened to her with someone else. This baby is her new beginning and she isn't going to let anything happen to take him away from her.

She will keep this baby safe if it was the last thing she'll do. They will have to keep the baby a secret until he's old enough to defend himself. Many people want revenge on both her and Minto, and taking a baby's life would be the easiest way to get that. She will make him as strong as possible to make sure that he doesn't die young like her little brother or Dan. His safety is of the up most importance to her. He will not die, of that, she is positive.

* * *

Minato sits at his desk, looking over Kushina's mission report. She just got back from a recon mission to Stone Country to make sure their boarders are safe. She's laughing and talking about how she defended a family from a moose attack when they hear arguing outside the office doors. A woman with a low, raspy voice is demanding to speak with the Hokage.

"I don't care who he's talking to or what he's talking about! I'm going to speak with Minato right now!"

"Tsunade-sensei! Don't hurt the Anbu! They are just doing their job!"

Grunt and thuds reach the two ninja's ears, and Kushina gives Minato a shit eating grin. "Someone's in trouble," she sing-songs.

Minato breaks out in a cold sweat. The only times he had ever heard her that angry was when she was about to beat his sensei into next week, and he can't help but wonder why she's after him. He never told anyone about their night together! Why is she here?

He doesn't have to wonder long because she kicks the doors open and stomps into the room, Shizune follows meekly behind her. "Minato! We have to talk."

"Tsunade-sama." Minato swallows, looking over at Kushina. His eyes beg her for help. "What can I do for you?"

"We have something to discuss." Her eyes flick over to Kushina. "Alone."

Kushina gives Tsunade her mega-watt grin. "No problem! I'll just wait outside for you to finish." She dances out of the room, giving Minato one last smirk before she closes the doors.

"Enact the privacy seals." She demands.

He performs a few hand seals before slamming his hand on his desk causing a hidden seal to emerge. "What is this about, Tsunade-sama?" Minato brings his hands back to his lap and looks over at Shizune. He had hoped that she would be of some help to figure out how screwed he is, but she's just looking between the two of them completely flabbergasted.

"You remember a little over two months ago when we slept together?" She had a sickly sweet smile on her face as she waits for an answer. Minato knows better than to trust that smile though. That smile said immense pain is going to come his way if he doesn't tread carefully.

"I haven't told anyone, I promise." She narrows her eyes and he knows that isn't the answer she is searching for.

"I wouldn't think so. You watched Jiraiya get enough beating to know what would happen to you if you said anything." She leans over the desk and stares him down. Minato hasn't wished to be able to read a woman's mind so intensely for a long time. "You got me pregnant."

All the blood drains from Minato's face as he passes out. Tsunade huffs, looking down at the famed shinobi. "You'd think a man that can make a whole army turn and run could handle the news he is going to be a father." Tsunade glances or at her student to see Shizune's horrified expression.

"You slept with Fourth Hokage-sama?!"

Tsunade can feel the throbbing vein in her forehead ready to burst. Why is it so ridiculous that Minato found her attractive enough to sleep with her? She isn't that old, just twelve years older than he is. She will definitively be using that transformation jutsu. "Wake him up, Shizune!"

Not wanting to incur her mentor's wrath, Shizune hustles to the Hokage and waves some smelling salts beneath his noise. Minato shoots into a sitting position with a gasp. Seeing Tsunade staring at him, he knows that finding out Tsunade is pregnant wasn't a dream. He is going to be a father.

"About time you woke up." Tsunade looks down at him with her hands on her hips and Minato knows she isn't impressed with his reaction.

"Yes. Yes, we have much to talk about." Minato pulls himself off the floor and rights his chair, giving Shizune a grateful look as he does. "What exactly do you want me to do?" He sits in his chair and faces the mother of his child. He wants Tsunade to move back to Konoha so they can raise the child together, to teach his baby how to be a ninja and pass all of his jutsu on to them, and more than anything to show his baby how loved they are every day. He knows better than to present that to Tsunade. I would better for her to tell him what she wants and negotiate from there.

"Ideally, for you to give up your rights to my baby."

"Not happening." She can beat him within an inch of his life. He isn't going to give up his baby.

"I didn't think so." She blows out a breath and sits on a couch off to the side of the room. "I will be the primary care giver. I will allow visitation every other weekend as being Hokage allows, and will keep you informed on our location so you won't have to search for us."

Minato nods. He could work with this. "If I give you primary custody, I want you to live in the village where I can have an active role in their life."

"Hell no!" Tsunade snarls. "My son with not step one foot in this accursed village!"

Minato barely manages not to pass out again. "You know what we're having? We're having a boy?"

Tsunade's cheeks flush as she adverts her eyes. "It's just a feeling…" She knows that there is no way of knowing this early in her pregnancy, but she knows she is right. He will be rambunctious and she'll have to keep a close eye on him to keep him safe. All the anxiety and worry will be worth it every time he smiles at her or calls her Kaa-chan, though.

Minato takes a deep breath and his eyes drift to her stomach They are having a son if Tsunade is right. He can't wait for him to be born. He is going to teach him everything he knows. He'll help him with his girl problems and make sure Jiraiya doesn't even think of giving him any advice on that subject. His baby boy is going to be the best ninja to ever live. "If you raise him outside of the village, you'll have to bring him back when he's eight to enter the academy."

Tsunade's blush from embarrassment changes into one of anger. "He will not become a ninja!"

"He has the blood of Hokages running through him. Of course he's going to be a ninja!" Minato will not back down on this part. His son needs to be able to defend himself. Many people are going to come after him, wanting him dead. Not teaching his son ninja skills is like asking for them to come and kill him.

Shizune watches the two powerful shinobi argue back and forth and she knows that if she doesn't step in Tsunade will kill the Hokage. "What if you let the baby decide if he wants to be a ninja or not when he gets older." When Tsunade cranks her neck around to look at her, Shizune is afraid she might me going through the wall in the next few seconds. "It's just an idea…"

"It's a good idea." Minato gives Shizune a smile, grateful that someone is trying to help him get through to the angry, pregnant woman.

"The hell it is." Tsunade pounds her fist on the desk. "He'll choose to be a ninja just to give me a heart attack!" Minato and Shizune can both see the pain in the older woman's eyes as she already starts to worry about her unborn baby. "No one can know that he's ours. If they do, people will come to kill him."

"We'll keep his parentage a secret until he's strong enough to protect himself." Minato reassures the woman trying to keep the tears from falling down her face. "Nothing will happen to our baby as long as I'm alive. I promise."

"I will also keep him safe, sensei." Shizune pledges, taking a step closer to the blonde.

Tsunade sniffs and she gains control over her emotions. Minato wisely wants until she's ready before making his next request. "I would like Kushina Uzumaki to act as a body guard throughout your pregnancy."

Tsunade snorts at the implication that she needs someone to protect her. "I'm one of the legendary sannin. I don't need help."

"Most of your chakra is being redirected to growing the baby," Shizune reminds her teacher. "You won't be able to protect yourself as well and you used too, and many of your enemies are too strong for me to fight myself."

Tsunade bites her lip, knowing it's true. It will be extremely unlikely that she will be able to use her super strength as her pregnancy progresses, not to mention any of the other jutsu that she knows. And while Shizune is a good shinobi, she is nowhere near the level she or any of the ninjas hunting her will be. "Having a strong, experienced ninja like Kushina would be useful. She will have to promise never to speak about my pregnancy with anyone. Do you trust her to keep our secret?"

Minato wants to let out a sigh of relief but knows doing so will only harm his case. "I trust her with my life. She's my best friend. She will protect our son like he's her own."

While she doesn't like even the remote possibility of sharing her baby with even more people, she knows that having Kushina with them would only help her protect him. "Bring her in. We have to tell her what her mission for the next seven months is going to be."

After receiving a hand signal from the Hokage, Shizune leaves to let Kushina back in. Tsunade walks over to the window not wanting to be part of the conversation. She would leave that up to Minato. She runs her finger tips over her stomach. When she was a little girl, she never gave much thought to being a mother. All she wanted to do was become strong like her grandfather and granduncle. Then after her parents died she raised her brother and realized how much she enjoyed mothering. Nawaki was her whole world and when he died she never wanted to experience that kind of pain again. It was only after she met Dan that she even considered having children again. When he died, she gave up on the idea all together. Now it's all she can think about. She wants this baby more than anything, more than she has ever wanted anything.

"I'll keep you safe, little one," she whispers, ignoring Kushina teasing Minato behind her. "I will always be there for you. I will never let anything happen to you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

It had been decided that they would live five miles outside the village in Tsunade's grandmother's old retreat. That was six months ago and Tsunade enjoys living there. It brought old memories of her childhood back. After talking to Shizune about it, she decided that raising her baby here was what they were going to do. Minato was ecstatic when she told him three months ago. It's the perfect compromise. Tsunade isn't in Konoha but close enough to it that Minato can come and visit regularly.

She's sitting in a rocker on her front porch when she sees a man in an orange mask exiting the forest. She can feel the ill intent vibrating off of him and wraps her hands around her stomach trying to protect her unborn baby. "Kushina!"

Kushina appears in front of her, her katana already drawn. "What's your business here?"

"Nothing much." The man comes closer, his eyes locked on Tsunade's stomach. "Just the nine tails." His eyes dart to Kushina as he draws out a kunai.

"Shizune!" Kushina calls out, making Shizune edge out of the front door. How he knows she is the jinchuuriki of the fox, she doesn't know. "Throw Minato's Hiraishin Kunai and take Tsunade-sama to safety." She falls into her fighting stance.

"I can't have the Hokage saving you…" The man tuts as Shizune takes out the special kunai. "Can't have that." Before Shizune can call Minato to them, the kunai disappears in a swirl, collapsing into itself.

"What?!" The three women shout out together. Tsunade collects herself first and heaves herself out of the chair.

"Shizune! Let's go." She wants to stay and fight with the red head but she has to put her baby first.

"Hai, Tsunade-sensei." Shizune looks worriedly at the woman who she has some to think of as a sister. "Don't die Kushina-chan."

Kushina just smiles and glances back at Shizune and Tsunade. "I can't die. Not until I met my nephew." She rushes forward to engage the orange masked man in combat and hopes that the two women will reach Minato in time.

* * *

After four miles, Tsunade's water broke. Tsunade insisted that Shizune take off ahead to get help, knowing that she can make the twenty-minute walk in eight without her. She tries to walk in between contractions but she doesn't make it very far. A crippling contraction causes her to slide down the massive oak tree she' s leaning on. She looks up at the moon and prays Shizune and Minato will make it back soon.

Needing to know how far along in labor she is, Tsunade reaches between her legs to measure her cervix with her fingers. Five centimeters. "You are worth it," Tsunade grunts out, internally cursing her unborn son. He'd better be eternally grateful she's going this for him. Taking her hand out from between her thighs, Tsunade almost has a heart attack when she sees the blood coating her fingers. Her baby is in distress, probably dying. If there was a doctor here right now, she would insist that they perform an emergency C-section. There's no doctors though and her baby could die before Shizune gets back.

Knowing there isn't much time—not if she wants her baby to live—Tsunade activates her chakra scalpel in her right hand. She knows the pain will be unbearable but worth it in the end. With her left she finds the space just above her pubic bone to make the first cut. She wants to scream in pain when she starts, but bits her lip. She needs to stay focused if she's going to save her baby. Her hands are shaking when she finishes and she pries her uterus open to get to her baby. Her eyes widen in horror of all the blood. There is too much blood. Dan died of exsanguination saving her. It's only appropriate that she dies of blood loss to save her baby.

She pulls her little boy out of her abdomen and cradles him to her chest as he cries. Activating the chakra scalpel again, she cuts the placenta cord and heals it with a jutsu. She tries to imagine her baby growing up without her but can't. Her only hope to live long enough to see her baby grow up is to release her Creation Rebirth seal. She feels the chakra flow into her body, forcing her wound closed. She runs her blood covered hand over her baby's forehead as she tries to sooth him.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Everything's going to be okay, kaa-chan's here." She smiles at her little boy. Shizune's going to insist that she teach her son respect and have him call her okaa-san. That's not what she wants, though. She wants him to feel close enough to her to come and talk to her about anything and everything. "I love you, Naruto." The baby settles down some when she calls him his name. "You like that huh?" Minato was never going to let this go. They have been fighting about the baby's name since they moved to Mito-baa-chan's house. Tsunade's eyes start closing and she looks in her baby's newborn eyes. "Kaa-chan's just going to go to sleep for a little while. Everything's okay, Naru-chan. Mommy loves you…"

* * *

Minato moves through the forest faster than he has ever moved before. Not only is someone trying to kill Kushina and steal the Kyuubi but Tsunade is also in labor. He should have tattooed his Hiraishin seal on the back of her hand. He wouldn't have to be searching the forest for them if he had.

He stops on a tree, trying to think of a more effective way of finding Naruto and his mother. The option of using Kage no Bunshin to sweep the forest came to mind, but doing so would deplete his chakra reserves which he needs to help Kushina fight against the masked shinobi. He waits several more minutes to try to think of a solution when he fears a faint crying off in the distance. Hoping that it's his son, Minato pushes off from the tree and races towards the noise.

The sight before him fills him with both horror and elation when he reaches Tsunade and Naruto. Elation because he is seeing his son for the first time and horror because Tsunade is cover in blood. The Creation Rebirth seal is retreating from her body, leaving it to look a decade older then the blonde really is. Minato prays that the sannin's technique will be enough to save her life.

Taking them both into his arms, Minato transports them to the hospital room Shizune set up. "I found them." He laid Tsunade down on the bed. Her arms are still wrapped tightly around their baby. "I'm not sure exactly what happened, but when I got there her Creation Rebirth seal had been released."

"Why did she activate her seal?" Shizune picks up the baby and gives him to Minato. Tsunade's hands reach up to take her baby back and became agitated when she can't. "It's okay, sensei. Minato has Naruto." When her words fail to calm the blonde woman, Shizune uses a jutsu to put her to sleep. "Hokage-sama, take Naruto to the nursery and then go save Kushina-chan."

"Hai!" Minato rushes out of the room and finds the closest nurse. "Take this baby to the nursery, his name is Naruto."

The nurse nods her head and Minato leaves in a black flash. He appears at the house and staggers back because of the destruction around him. The left side of the house is collapsed and smoke's billowing out of it. Craters litter the ground and trees have been up rooted. Minato searches for Kushina and finds tracks leading off the east towards the village. From the looks of the battle field at the house and the tracks going through the forest, Kushina lost. The orange masked man is probably trying to free the Kyuubi and kill Kushina. He pushes himself faster hoping to get there in time.

When the sky lights up with swirling red chakra he knows he's failed. He makes it just in time to prevent the Kyuubi from impaling her with its claw. He transports them to a nearby rock and holds his best friend to his chest.

"Minato… Is Tsunade… Shizune and… Naruto… are they okay?" Kushina struggles to get the words out as the life leaves her body.

"Yes… They're fine. I took them to the hospital." Minato feels like crying. Even in death, Kushina is still thinking of others before herself.

"Oh, thank God…" Kushina struggles to keep her eyes open. "Minato… Stop him… Stop the Nine-Tails… They're headed for the village…"

Minato transports them to the hospital and orders the nurse to get him a cot. "…Why?" She asks him seeing that they are in the hospital nursery. Only after the task is complete in seconds that Minato answers as he's laying her down.

"Never mind why… Stay with Naruto." Minato knows she is going to die soon and the only reason she hasn't yet is because of her Uzumaki blood. She's not going to live long enough to be an aunt for his son. Rage fills his body. He has never wanted a man deader than the one who is taking his best friend from him.

"Just rest now." Minato lays her on her bed before transporting himself outside where he could feel the masked man waiting for him.

* * *

"Third Hokage-sama!" An Anbu agent with a monkey masks rushes into Sarutobi's study. "It's the Nine-Tails! The Nine-Tails attacked village out of nowhere!"

Sarutobi adjusts his arm guard as he looks out at the Kyuubi rampaging through the village. "I know! I'll hold it back, gather and protect the civilians!" The older shinobi can't help but wonder what happened to Kushina. Why did her seal fail? He watches as the Kyuubi unleashes a massive ball of chakra towards the Hokage monument and breathes a sigh of relief when it disappears with Minato's space-time barrier technique. "Everyone move out!"

All the shinobi move in formation towards the demon fox. Half of the village was already destroyed and a portion of the hospital was in rumble. The old Hokage can't help but wonder where the Fourth is. After the Kyuubi's chakra attack, Minato disappeared. They would only be able to contain the chakra beast into another jinchuuriki with the help of a seal master and Konoha only had three. Jiraiya is out of the village somewhere with his spy network, Kushina isn't an option because she is mostly likely dead from Kyuubi's release, and Minato is MIA.

The shinobi of the Leaf work together to drive the Kyuubi out of the village. It's when the Kyuubi is charging up another chakra ball that the Third knows that they might not be able to prevent the village from experiencing total destruction. He is a ninjutsu specialist but none of his skills will be able to prevent the demon from unleashing his attack.

Relief floods the old man's system when a giant toad drops from the sky and lands on the fox. Minato has returned. In a flash of black light, Minato, the Kyuubi, and its chakra blast disappear leaving Gamabunta behind. "Minato…" Sarutobi mutters to himself. "Did he teleport himself and the nine-tails?" His question is answered when light explodes in the distance. "Out there! Come! We must assist the Fourth."

* * *

Minato huffs with chakra exhaustion as he transports himself, Kushina—she insisted on coming—the Kyuubi, his attack, and his son. The thought of putting such a burden on his son makes him hate himself, but after meeting and fighting with the masked man, he knows it's the only way they will survive the oncoming storm. Part of him is glad that this sealing will most likely kill him because Tsunade will make his death at her hands much more painful.

"Gotta put up a barrier…" Minato looks over at Kushina. He didn't want to bring her in the first place, but she insisted and he couldn't deny his dying best friend.

"My chakra's almost drained…" Kushina's voice is weak but she manages to unleash her chakra chains to restrain the Kyuubi. She cries out in pain, causing Minato to call out to her and Naruto to start crying. "Sorry Naruto… I didn't… mean to wake you…" Blood is dripping down her chin from exertion but she manages to smile at the child.

"Kushina…"

"I'll drag the nine-tails… back… and die with it inside me…" The determination in her eyes would make Minato smile under any other circumstance. "That'll… prevent it from coming back… for a while… it's the only way to save you both… with the little bit of chakra I have left." Kushina smiles at him and Minato's chest fills with dread. "Thank you… for everything."

Minato pauses, trying to figure out what to say. "You're my best friend… you helped me become the Fourth Hokage… your helping me become a good father! And I…"

"Don't look so sad… Minato." The smile never leaves her face. "I'm… I'm happy. I'm happy you where my best friend. Happy that it's… my nephew's… birthday. Like… if I try to imagine surviving and being a part of his life… with you, Shizune, and Tsunade… I can't think of anything… beyond 'I'd be so happy.'" Tears come to Minato's eyes at Kushina's words. "If I had any regrets… it would be that I won't see Naruto grow up and you become an amazing father."

Minato holds his baby tighter in his arms already changing his plans a little. "Kushina… you don't need to take the fox down with you. We can use our last bit of chakra to see Naruto one more time!"

"Huh?" Kushina's exhaustion is clouding her mind and she's not sure if she heard him right.

"I'll seal the last of your chakra in Naruto with an Eight Trigrams Seal." He looks at her with determination. After the Whirl Pool Village was destroyed, all she talked about was one day starting a family of her own. Somewhere along the way they became a family. He didn't want his son to live in a world where he never meets his best friend. "Then I'll lead the nine-tails way with a seal only a non-jinchuuriki like I can use, the Dead Demon Seal!"

Kushina looks at him like his's finally lost his mind. "But that… the user will be—"

"But I'll only be able to seal half the fox's power…" Minato ignores Kushina's interruption. "It's just too great, it's physically and conceptually impossible to completely seal it all. I can't let the nine-tails be revived without a jinchuuriki, that balance of the tailed beasts would be destroyed. But with the dead demon seal I can permanently seal half the fox's power along with myself. And the remaining half…" Minato thinks back to when Jiraiya told him about the Child of Prophesy. At the time, they both thought it was him but now Minato knows it's about his son. "I'll seal the remaining half inside Naruto with the Eight Trigrams Seal!" Minato doesn't have to look at Kushina to sense her disapproval. Being a jinchuuriki herself, she knows how hard it will be for his son. "I know what you what to say… but Jiraiya-sensei spoke of the world undergoing a revolution and with it, a great disaster! Tonight I've confirmed two things. The first is that masked man, the one who attacked you… he is the harbinger of that disaster! And Naruto will be the one to stop him. The jinchuuriki who will blaze the trail to our future. I just… know it." Minato doesn't notice the Third's arrival and starts to go through the hand signs.

"But… Minato." Kushina wants to stop him but the deal is already done.

"Have a little Faith! He is my son after all!" Kushina is at a loss for words and Minato knows how she feels. "After I finish the Dead Demon Seal I'll place your remaining chakra into Naruto as well. You'll meet the grown-up Naruto sooner than you think… the time will come when he'll attempt to take control of the fox's power… I want you there to help him."

"Naruto… that's why! I don't want him to bear such a heavy burden all on his own." Kushina almost screams at him, hoping that he will change his mind but Minato just looks down at them. "But why… why the Dead Demon Seal?! There's no reason for you to die… just so I can meet him for a few minutes when he's older! I want you to be here for him… I want you to raise him! Why… why are you sacrificing Naruto just to preserve the balance of tailed beasts… to save the village… and the country… why are you sacrificing yourself for me?!"

"Turning your back on the country, on the village is just as bad as abandoning a child." Minato can't help but think back to after her village had been destroyed. She never smiled the same way after that. "You should understand… you saw your own country fall apart. You know the pain of growing up without a home of your own… and you know that we are a family… of shinobi!" Kushina refuses to be convinced so he tries for some humor. "Besides, even if I lived I she would kill me as soon as she found out what I did." Kushina smiles a little thinking about what Tsunade would do to him. "There are things Naruto needs to be told, things I could never help him with. That's why he needs you. Even if you only have the briefest of moments to do so. This isn't just for you… this is for Naruto!" Minato now that only a fellow jinchuuriki can understand the hardships of their lives. Kushina can help him through that. He smiles a little. "Dying to make a better life for his son… that's the stuff you let the father handle."

"Curse you, Fourth Hokage!" the Fox Demon bellows as Shinigami's hand shoots out to grab him.

"Seal!" Minato commands and both him and the Kyuubi shout out in pain. Minato pants as him body goes numb and he is weighted down by heavy chakra. "Now for the eight trigrams seal! I'm going to seal the Kyuubi inside Naruto." Minato places his son on a sealing pedestal he summoned. Kushina starts coughing up blood and Minato know they don't have much time left. "Kushina! Stay with me!"

The both hear the Kyuubi's shout of 'now' and he strikes out to kill the baby. They both jump in the way to prevent the claw from impaling Naruto. "if the father can do this job… the aunt should be even better… right?" Her voice is so weak that Minato can barely hear her.

"Damned Humans!" The Kyuubi shouts to the sky.

"Thank you, Kushina…" Minato summons a frog.

"Aa, the Nine-Tails! And Fourth, what the hell happened to you!"

"Gamatora… I'm entrusting you with the key to the seal. Hurry to Jiraiya-sensei… store it with him…" Minato hands the scroll over and the toad wraps it around his body.

"You got it!" Gamatora disappears in a puff of smoke.

"It's time for me to go, Kushina…" Minato can feel his life force fading. "I'm going to perform the Eight Trigrams seal… and try to leave a little of my own chakra too…"

"Naruto…" Kushina's not sure if the baby can hear her but she continues. "Be good for your mother… do what she tells you… eat your vegetables… to become a strong shinobi… take baths… and get your sleep! Make friends… they will keep you strong… when the Kyuubi tries to make you weak."

"Avoid the three vices of Shinobi…" Minato adds, smiling at his son. "We don't want you to inherit Jiraiya-sensei's bad habits. Never go to him for advice about women…"

"Shizune-chan would probably… be the best for that." Kushina smiles as tears come to her eyes. "Naruto… you're going to experience a lot of pain and suffering… I wish I was going to be there to help you through it."

"Find a dream." Minato lets a tear fall from his eye. His son is never going to know how much he loves him. "Never stop until you achieve it. Eight Trigram Seal"

* * *

The Third Hokage watches as the Kyuubi becomes a swirl of chakra and enters the newborn infant. Minato and Kushina collapse and the barrier falls. Sarutobi rushes over to the three of them and his heart break when he sees that the two have died. Coming up to the scene, he knew they would die but a part of him hoped that by some miracle they would make it. The infant starts crying and the Hokage moves to pick him up, only to be stopped by the whizzing words of the presumed dead woman.

"Take… Naru… to…" He can see her struggling to get the words out.

"Don't worry Kushina." Hiruzen comforts her. "We will take care of your son." Her eyes glaze over in death before he finishes and he picks up the baby.

"Third Hokaeg-sama," An Anbu agent approaches him. "Kushina-senpai had a baby?"

"It would appear so." The Third muttered as he sooths Naruto. "It would explain why she was gone for almost nine months."

"Who is the father?" another asks.

"I would assume Minato." Hiruzen isn't positive about his assessment, but it was the only explanation he can come up with. "The identity of Naruto's parents is an S-class secret." He commands to all of the Anbu present. "Many people will come seeking vengeance against Minato and Kushina if they find out about him."

"Hokage-sama," A bear masked shinobi is weary in his approach. "Who will take care of the child? Many will want him dead when they see he is the Nine-Tail's jinchuuriki. He has the markings on his cheeks like his mother."

Sarutobi can help but feel pity for the child. He should be raised by his parents, not by someone he picked out. This isn't the way it's supposed to be. Minato and Kushina would have made excellent parents and Naruto should be experiencing that. He thinks about all of the people in the village and quickly rules out any of the citizens and the orphanage. Chances are that they would not be able to separate Naruto and the Kyuubi. Naruto doesn't need to experience that kind of abuse. That left the shinobi population. Isolating the ones that will be able to see Naruto as a boy instead of a demon, he realizes that they all have children themselves. He can't ask them to take a child that will have multiple death threat and assassination attempts into their home to endanger their other children. He grimaces as the name of the only viable shinobi comes to mind. "Biwako Sarutobi, my ex-wife."

* * *

Tsunade can feel air blowing into her nose and her first thought is where the hell her baby is. She opens her eyes and looks around the room, expecting either Minato or Shizune to be close by with him. When she only sees Shizune, she clears the dryness out of her throat to get her attention.

Shizune jolts awake and rushes to her bedside. "How are you feeling Sensei?" She fiddles with Tsunade's blankets refusing to look her in the eye. A cold hand grips her heart.

"Where is my baby?" The tears in Shizune's eyes say it all. "No… No!"

Shizune hugs herself and finally meets Tsunade's eyes. "The masked man that showed up at the house freed the Kyuubi from Kushina-chan. He unleashed the fox on the village. Part of the hospital was destroyed… the part Naruto was in."

"No…" she whispers. Shizune tries to tell her that all of the babies in the nursery died along with a lot of the medical shinobi. Kushina and Minato were dead too. The teenager wants to stay to help the village but just the thought of staying one more moment in this hell hole makes her sick. All this village has ever done is take from. Take until she has nothing left to give. "Shizune, we're leaving." Tsunade throws the blankets off. The only reason she is able to stand is through sheer force of will.

"Tsunade-sama! You just had an emergency C-section! You can't be out of bed!" She tries to force the older blonde to sit back down but the glare she receives stops her.

"Leave with me or get out of my way." Her voice is dead and it scares Shizune. "Because I will go through you."

Shizune just nods her head and follows her sensei out of the room. She guesses her sobriety is gone and she fears there's no getting it back this time.

* * *

 **A/N:** The next chapter is going to be a time jump to when Jiraiya and Naruto go looking for Tsunade to become the Fifth Hokage. I could do some filler chapters, but all I can think of to write are really sad moments of their lives without each other. I don't really want to leave Tsunade out of so much of the chapters either so I won't be doing a rewrite from the beginning.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Sorry it took so long to update. Life, right?

 **Chapter 3**

Tsunade downs another bottle of beer as she thinks about Orochimaru's offer. Having Dan and Nawaki again would be amazing, but she also wants her baby. In an ideal world the four of them would've been a family. All three of them left her though. She's always the one left behind. A part of Tsunade really wants to take the offer but she knows it's wrong. Dan and Nawaki will hate her and her baby will stay a couple of hours old forever, cursed never to grow up.

Loosing Naruto still feels like icicles ramming into her heart with every beat. The pain of his death never lessened like Dan's and Nawaki's did. It's still a piercing pain that never stops. Sometimes she plays a game called, _What Would Naruto Be Like Today?_ Every day it's a different fantasy. She gives him different personalities and like and dislikes each time. Every day it gets a little harder because it's just a reminder that she will never know.

"Hey!" Tsunade looks up so see the most perverted man she has ever met. She doesn't understand why he feels the need to check up on her every once in a while. Sometimes he stays for a week and sometimes for a couple of hours. She hopes this time it'll be for an hour, max.

"Jiraiya…" Tsunade goes back to drinking and ignores the white haired man.

"Tsunade!" Jiraiya glances down at Naruto but the boy is still obsessed with whatever's in his hands. "Finally, we've found you." The older man leads the young blonde over to the table.

Tsunade looks over at the boy and her heart clenches. If you son had lived, he would be about his age. She imagines his short life has been hard. The whisker marks on his cheeks tell her he is the jinchuuriki of the nine-tails if the heavy chakra surrounding him wasn't enough. At least he has family though. People that love him. She hopes he does. "Who's the kid?"

"A young genin I've taken under my wing." He shoots her what he thinks is a charming grin. Tsunade nods her head but her eyes are drawn to the boy like ants to sugar.

Jiraiya keeps trying to make small talk but she knows that small talk is just putting off the inevitable. At the next lull in conversation, she starts. "Today… I met with someone that brings back bad memories."

"Orochimaru?" Jiraiya tenses, trying to figure out if he can trust her. "Did anything happen?"

Tsunade shoots Shizune a glare telling her to be quiet when it looks like she is going to give everything way. "Nothing much… just a little greeting…" The shifting in her eyes tells Jiraiya Tsunade is lying but knows not to push it. Tsunade will do what she wants to do. "You too…" she continues, looking down at the table. "Why'd you come to see me?"

Naruto ignores the adults around him. Even though Jiraiya never said, he knows the only reason he came on this mission is so the village didn't have him killed. He stops focusing his chakra into the leaf when the Kyuubi groans to life inside his head. "That voice, it sounds familiar…" he growls. "Who's talking kit?"

"Just some lady Ero-Sennin wants to be Hokage." He mutters going back to his leaf, rolling his eyes because Jiraiya thought he's stupid enough not to figure it out. He's been trying since Wave Country to manipulate his chakra into wind, but so far he's been unsuccessful. Between this and trying to finish the Rasengan, he's beginning to get discouraged. Kurama isn't any help with the wind chakra either. He claims to just use raw chakra in all of his attacks and that he can't remember how Kushina-chan used to use her wind chakra. Naruto just thinks he's being lazy.

He's been able to talk to the Kyuubi since he was six and Kurama was his only friend for a long time. Even now he is one among the few. He knew better than to bring him up to anyone, though. That would most likely get him killed. The village hates when he shows progress in becoming a ninja. Each time he does, several attempts on his life happen. Honestly, all he wants to do is get strong enough to protect himself and make his obaa-chan proud.

Kurama askes Naruto to humor him and look at the woman as Jiraiya is telling the women that the blonde is going to be Hokage. Naruto can't help but notice that the woman is pretty with blonde hair and hazel eyes. She has a purple diamond on her forehead and her cheeks are flushed from drinking. He's thoughts are interrupted by a choked cough from the fox as Jiraiya explains Konoha wants Tsunade to be the Fifth Hokage. "Hey, brat! Do you know who that is?" The Kyuubi could feel his muscles tense at the thought of how Naruto would react to the news, but he knows hiding it would only make it worse.

"No. Who is it?" Naruto ignores everyone talking about the third Sannin and Hokage to talk to Kurama.

"Remember when I told you your parents died the night of your birth?" Kurama nudges Naruto in their mindscape to try and comfort him. Naruto nods against is neck. "It seems your mother didn't, because she's the blonde woman sitting right there."

Naruto can't move a muscle as the woman named Shizune tries to convince her sensei to take the Hokage position. He can barely hear her words when suddenly he snaps after she finishes insulting the Hokage position. Jumping on the table, rage fills him body and all he wants to do is punch the smug smile off her face. But before he can make a move, Jiraiya grabs the back of his orange jumper. "Let me go!"

"Don't you realize we're at a bar?" The kid has some nerve, Jiraiya has to admit. Who else besides the blonde would want to fight someone for refusing the mantle of Hokage.

"I can't forgive you! You're just a horrible old hag!" Naruto cracks his knuckles and ignores Kurama's suggestion to calm down. "I don't care if she is a woman! I'm gonna kick her ass!"

Tsunade can't help but smile at his gumption. "You've got some guts to say such things to me kid… let's take this outside…" A big part of her know this is a bad idea but a bigger part doesn't care. The boy makes the knife in her heart fade away and she knows that Jiraiya will leave with him soon. She just wants to extend their meeting a little longer.

"Tsunade-sama…" Shizune tries to talk her sensei down but it's useless as both blondes stalk out of the bar. She and Jiraiya have no choice but to follow. Jiraiya just can't understand why they are both getting with worked up about something so little.

"I'm one of the three Legendary Sannin. I don't even have to be serious to fight this little boy playing ninja." Tsunade doesn't know why she is antagonizing the boy but assumes it's the alcohol talking. She's never made the best decisions under the influence.

"SHUT UP!" Naruto is shaking with rage. The voice that always tells him how useless and unlovable he is shouting that she didn't want him because he's a demon. A murder just like everyone else has been telling him. That as a baby she could tell that something was wrong with him and that's why she left him to be killed by the villagers.

"One finger should be enough…" The boy reminds her of herself. She always got herself into situation she couldn't handle when she was his age too.

Naruto throws some shuriken. "STOP FOOLING AROUND!" He needs her to take him seriously and to acknowledge that she made a mistake by leaving him. Tsunade dodges his punch and takes his kunai off of him before knocking his headband off and flicking him thirty feet away.

"Tsunade-sama…" Shizune is disappointed in her sensei. She took things too far.

Naruto gets shakily to his feet and stares at the kunai that lands right in front of him. The voice is back, telling him that he just proved she was right to abandon him. That he's never going to be good enough for anyone. "STOP FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF!" Kurama shouts at him. "You might not be able to prove her wrong now, but remember your dreams! You want to become the strongest ninja in the world? Currently she is in the top five and when you surpass her she'll have to acknowledge you.

"Hey, kid." Tsunade heartbreaks a little at the flash of dejection that came before the anger that currently fills his features. "What's your name?"

Naruto spits the blood out from when he bit his lip and glares at the older blonde. "Naruto Uzumaki."

"What?" Tsunade's heart almost stops. The only Uzumaki left had been Kushina and she died in the Kyuubi attack. "Who's your mother?"

Jiraiya steps in before it can get out of hand again. "He doesn't know his mother Hime. She died in the Kyuubi attack."

"Oh, I know who my incubator is Ero-Sennin." Jiraiya starts at his declaration. "When the sperm donor put the Kyuubi in me, she decided she didn't want me anymore so she left me."

Tsunade takes a step forward and Shizune gasps. Hope finally fills her chest after being so long without it. This could be her baby. When she had heard that Minato had died sealing the Kyuubi in a child, she had assumed that a family from the village had volunteered their child. Now it's possible that her baby might still be alive and she's almost bursting with so much joy she doesn't even hear his last words or the tone of his voice. "Naruto?" she whispers.

"I'll prove to you that you made a mistake twelve years ago by giving up on me." Naruto's glare intensifies. "I'm going to follow in Obaa-chan's footsteps and become a strong ninja. I'll prove I'm not just some weapon for the village to point and shoot. I'm going to become Hokage and I'll show everyone that they can't let hate control their actions, that prejudice is wrong and they are wrong for hating me for something I can't control!"

Love fills Tsunade's heart despite the hatred in his voice. Her baby is alive. Tears comes to her eyes and she takes another step forward. All she wants to do is wrap him up in her arms and never let him go. Naruto holds his hand in front of his body and starts accumulating chakra in his hand. Tsunade stops, her eyes widening as she sees her baby forming a Rasengan in his hand. He starts to run at her but she dodges his attack and forces his hand to the ground where, instead of massive destruction like she is expecting. A little crater is formed.

Naruto's cheeks flush in embarrassment and he tries to mask it with anger. "I'll show you! I'll master the Rasengan by the end of the week!" He wipes away some tears that have leaked onto his cheeks. "I show you I'm more than the trash you through away…"

He runs off before Tsunade can do anything. "Naruto!" She shouts after him but Jiraiya grabs her arms before she can follow. "Let go Jiraiya! I need to go after my son!"

"He needs time, Hime." Jiraiya's mind is still whirling from the knowledge that was just shared with him. "Besides, there is no way you'll find him."

"He's my son! Of course I'll find him!" Tsunade contemplates breaking Jiraiya's arm to get away.

"He is a master of stealth and going undetected. He loses the Anbu with ease. You won't find him if he doesn't want to be found." He can't believe that they were wrong about his parentage for twelve years, but who would have guessed that his mother is Tsunade when Kushina died holding Naruto. And the fact that Naruto knew that Kushina wasn't his mother and apparently who his father is. He can't help wonder how he found out.

Tsunade manages to jerk her hand away. "I've been away from him for twelve years, four months, and twenty-one days. I thought he was dead. I'm not spending another second without him." Tsunade takes off, expanding her senses to find her baby.

Jiraiya looks over at Shizune who has tears in her eyes. "Care to explain to me what exactly happened twelve years ago."

Tsunade is beyond frustrated. She's been looking for her son for three hours without any luck. She knew when she was pregnant with him that he would give her anxiety. Her baby is out here somewhere hurting because he thinks she doesn't want him and nothing's further from the truth. She hates herself for missing so much of his life already. She should have demanded to see the body of her baby when Shizune said he died. If she had, she would have raised him and pampered him with more love than he could stand.

She throws her fist against a tree but stops herself an inch before hitting it. There's a piece of paper, hastily hidden by weak genjutsu. Releasing the jutsu, Tsunade studies the fūinjutsu seal and smiles slightly. This is how no one can find him. Her knowledge of the seals is basic at best, but she recognizes it as the same seals Mito-baa-chan used when she wanted privacy and be alerted if anyone broke in. Biting her lips, she pulls out a piece of paper and draws her own seal and places it on top of her son's. Now, all she has to do is place the same modification seals on the four other barrier seals around where Naruto is hiding.

The rest of the seals are hidden better than the first one, but eventually Tsunade finds them all. Now, she can enter the barrier without alerting her son that she is coming. She has realized that Jiraiya is right and she can't force herself on her son, but that doesn't mean she's not going to cloak her chakra and get as close as she can to make sure he's safe. Orochimaru mentioned that two leaf shinobi were coming that he would use for the Impure World Reincarnation jutsu and she refused to lose her son again. She can feel a faint jutsu signature towards the center of the barrier so she sneaks her way to him. Panting breaths and loud crashes tell her that she is getting close. It only takes twenty more feet until she's peeking around a tree to see her little orange clothed man trying to destroy a tree with his incomplete Rasengan.

She just watches her baby wear himself out until he falls to his knees. She has to resist the urge to run over and make sure he's okay and it almost kills her. His body is shaking with tears, yet she can hear no noise. The pain in her heart is almost unbearable imagining how her baby must have learned to cry silently. That damn village is going to feel her wrath for hurting her baby.

It isn't long before her little Naru-chan falls asleep from exhaustion and she moves out from behind the tree. Making sure not to make any noise as she approaches her baby, Tsunade kneels down and brushes his hair from his eyes. Her son is beautiful. He has sunshine blonde hair like her mother and her father's nose. She feathers her finger tips across his whisker marks and smiles as he starts purring.

"I know you think I hate you and that I left you on purpose…" Tsunade wipes away the tear tracks from the boy's cheeks. "Nothing can be further from the truth though. I love you so much. Had I known you hadn't died, I never would have left you. Shizune and I would have raised you and taught you to be an amazing medical ninja. We would have made sure that you knew how loved and wanted you are every day. You would have gotten sick of me always looking after you to make sure you didn't get hurt. I would have fought you on your dream to become Hokage. Everyone that I have ever loved that had that dream has died. But…" Tsunade's voice breaks and she fists her hand. "I can't tell you not to do it now because I don't even know the first thing about you…"

"I would offer to help you with that but apparently Naruto's been keeping secrets." Tsunade looks over at Jiraiya leaning against a tree. She should have known if she detected the barrier then he would be able to, too. "Neither Sensei or I knew that Naruto was aware of his parentage. He apparently has wind chakra too." Jiraiya twirls the leaf Naruto had been practicing on in his hand. "Wonder who told him?"

"What do you know about him?" Tsunade lifts her son's head and places it on her lap. She runs her fingers through his hair, reveling in the feeling of the rough, blonde hair.

"I know he was dead last in the academy, but Sensei thought the teachers were sabotaging him. He's mastered Kage no Bunshin and his stealth skills are top notch. He lives alone ever since his care taker died. He likes to perform pranks on the village and Sensei thought it was just his way of getting all of his negative emotions out."

"Who took care of him? And how did they die?" Tsunade licks her thumb and cleans some dirt off of her son's face. Even if he liked her right now he probably wouldn't have approved of that, which makes her smile.

"Biwako Sarutobi." His tone is mournful as he looks down. "Someone hired a missing nin to kill Naruto and the Nine-Tails but Biwako-sama fought him off and they ended up killing each other."

"Biwako-sensei took care of my baby? She's dead?" Tsunade felt like the floor caved under her. The woman who taught her medicine raised her baby and died protecting him. Now she would never be able to thank her for that.

"Yes. Apparently Naruto was there when it happened." The blonde tenses at that. Her baby witnessed his obaa-chan dying. "He refuses to talk about it to this day."

"How old was he?"

"Six."

Tsunade leans down and moves Naruto's head band to kiss him on the forehead. "Where were the Anbu? Why weren't they there to protect them?"

"They didn't make it in time…" Jiraiya looks towards the sunset. "You'll have to ask the people involved to learn more because that's all I know."

They stay silent for a while, just watching Naruto breathing. Her baby is so precious and she doesn't understand how someone would want him dead, why people are too stupid to understand that her son is not the demon fox, but the person responsible for saving them every day by keeping it at bay. Her eyes are drawn to the twinkling of her necklace and she fiddles with it between her fingers. Her baby wants to be Hokage and she can only imagine how the village reacted to that when they found out. She moves his orange jump suit out of the way to wipe off some dirt when she notices a thick scar on his neck, almost like a rope burn.

"I've missed so much of his life…" Tears drop from her cheeks and land on his mesh shirt.

"Just don't miss any more." Jiraiya gives her a slight smile. "All he's ever really wanted is a family and people to care about him." Tsunade nods her head still staring at her baby. "Let's go. He'll be angry if he wakes up and finds us watching him."

Tsunade nods her head and gentle lifts his head from her lap. Maybe she will send Shizune here to look after him. Shizune has a way with children and maybe she can get him to open up.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Naruto wakes up and rubs his tired eyes open. It's been years since he's cried. The last time being the day that his Obaa-chan died. Sometimes he still has nightmares about it. His body tenses when he hears a ruffling of fabric next to him and he jumps up. Drawing a kunai, his eyes dart around trying to find where to throw it. He hesitates when he only finds the young woman who was with his incubator sitting next to where he's been laying.

"What are you doing here?" It's always been his experience that finding someone next to you when you've been sleeping is never a good thing. Usually it leads to people trying to stab him to death. Luckily Kurama taught him how to weave a genjutsu into a detection seal to fool anyone that broke into his apartment when he's sleeping to "kill" a mannequin he set up in a corner.

"Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sama asked me to come watch over you and bring you some food." Shizune tries to give him a reassuring smile. "I would have come regardless though but I wouldn't have been able to find you if it wasn't for them. You're pretty good at fūinjutsu. Who taught you?"

Naruto narrows his eyes at her fishing. The Old Hag and Ero-Sennin were probably just trying to figure out how much of a threat he was before they killed him. "That's none of your business."

Shizune's surprised at his hostility but knows that it's probably been earn after years of being hated, so she just pushes the basket full of food towards him. She watches him pull the basket closer and lift the lid before sniffing the food. "It's common knowledge that poison won't work. The Nine-Tails makes me immune to all poisons and toxins."

"I would never try to kill you…" Shizune can tell that he doesn't believe her. She wonders what exactly happened to her little brother to make him so distrustful of people he doesn't know. It breaks her heart that he doesn't know how much she loves him already, and that she will do anything for him.

He just grunts before digging into the food, thankful that he finally knows that she has been the one leaving food all week. The old pervert had spent all of his money on booze and women a couple of days before and he doesn't have much money for food left. He had been making Ero-Sennin buy all the food since, but the white haired man didn't realize how much chakra it takes to keep Kurama contained. Lucky for him, there is an enormous amount of rice balls, curry, and sandwiches in the basket.

Shizune watches him eat all the food as if he's afraid that she's going to take it away from him. It makes her wonder how many times her little brother has gone to bed hungry. She vows that will never happen again. He will always go to bed with a full stomach if she has any say in the matter, and once Tsunade-sama finds out he goes hungry sometimes, there will be absolutely no chance of it happening again. There will most likely be hell to pay.

"Thank you." Naruto wipes his face clean as gets up to start training again. He has to master the Rasengan by tomorrow and he is so close. He just has to figure out the perfect balance of rotation and power to form the ball. It would help if Ero-Sennin would give him a little more direction on how to perform the jutsu, but he insists that he needed to learn on his own.

"I have something for you if you want it…" Shizune bites her lip, afraid that he won't want it.

He squints his eyes at her and contemplates his answer. "Like a present?" The only presents he's ever gotten were from Obaa-chan, Old Man Hokage, Oniisan, Teuchi, and Ayame-chan. Everyone else just takes from him.

Shizune nods her head as she fiddles with something inside of her bag. "I made it for you before you were born… I kept it because I wanted a physical reminder of my baby brother…" She pulls out a little plush pig with a purple coat and pearl necklace. "Her name is Tonton. You can have it if you want… it's yours after all."

Naruto stares at the little plush and gently takes it into his hands. He has to stop his mind from going back and imagining how his life would have gone if Shizune had been his sister growing up. The tiny stitching in the stuffed animal tells him she put a lot of work into it. She must have really cared for him before he 'became a monster'. "Thank you." He tries to keep his voice from breaking. "I love it."

Shizune grins and feels a little braver. "Can I help you with your training?"

He considers her offer. He really doesn't have much to lose. The Pervert and Hag already know he's trying to figure out the Rasengan. "What can you tell me about the Rasengan?"

Knowing that she can teach her little brother something fills the young woman with joy. "The Fourth created it during the Third Shinobi War but he never completed it. He meant of add an elemental change to it but died before he could. He based it on the Biju Bomb."

The blonds face light up and he jumps to his feet. "Thank you! I think I know what I need to do now!" The Old Pervert might not want to tell him how to work the jutsu, but he's sure he can get Kurama to tell him. He'll show that hateful old woman that she made a mistake and then he'll through her away like the trash she dubbed his as.

"You know, Kit," Kurama yawned awake. "You're starting to sound like all the people you want to change." Naruto looks down at his hands. Maybe he should give the Old Hag and Shizune a chance to tell him their side of the story.

* * *

Tsunade laces her fingers under her chin as she looks at Jiraiya. They had been going over their plan on taking down their teammate all night. She will take out the teenager then help Jiraiya with Orochimaru while Shizune makes sure Naruto stays safe. She will never be able to forgive herself if something happens to her baby.

"Let's go over it one more time," she prompts Jiraiya.

"We've gone over it enough Tsunade. Everything is going to be fine." He tries to reassure her, but he knows by the tension in her shoulders that it didn't work. "Maybe you can answer some of my questions now?"

She quirks her eyebrow. "What do you want to know?"

"Your intentions with Naruto. He's led a hard life and doesn't trust easily." Jiraiya is somber as he looks at the woman. "Hell, we apparently don't even know the extent of his powers because he keeps it under wraps."

Tsunade thought about her baby boy and her body ached. He shouldn't have had a hard life. He should have been with her from the start and she know that she loves him with every bone in her body. "I plan on being his family. He hates me right now, but I hope in time that he will come to love me a fraction of the amount I love him."

Jiraiya sips his sake and looks at his teammate. Somehow her life always takes a turn for the worst. Her entire family dies, then Dan. He tries to ignore the pain in his heart over his friend falling in love with the woman of his dreams. To top that all off, she believed for twelve years that her son died, only to find out that he's been alive in a village that hates him. That can't be easy. He opens his mouth, trying think of something to say when Shizune comes through the door.

Tsunade is immediately on her feet grilling her. "How is Naruto? Did he eat? Did he say anything? Why are you here and not with him, protecting him?"

Shizune froze, knowing that one wrong answer will set her mentor off. "He's fine. He ate the entire basket and wants more food."

"I'll make him something." She hurries to the kitchen and pulls ingredients together. She's rusty in the kitchen- she hasn't cook since Nawaki was live- but this week she's been determined to make her son a healthy and nutritious meal.

Jiraiya just laughs and shakes his head at Shizune. "I told the brat he needs to tone the eating down if he's going to be a ninja—" It only takes a second for Tsunade to press a knife against his neck, hard enough so a bead of blood falls from the cut.

"As a jinchuuriki, Naruto requires three times the amount of food normal boys his age need to keep the nine tails contained. You shouldn't be telling him not to eat but encouraging him to eat more." Tsunade can feel the anger coming off her in waves. "My son is skin and bones. He needs food. You ever say anything as stupid as that again and I will make sure it's the last words you'll use."

Jiraiya tries to swallow past the lump in his throat but he can't. It has been years since he last saw this fire in her eyes. "Of course Hime."

* * *

After Shizune brings Naruto more food, she stays until he passes out from exhaustion. The smile won't leave her face as pride fills her. Her baby brother did it. He mastered the Rasengan in a week just like he promised he would. She barely makes it into the village before her sensei is there taking the boy from her arms.

"What happened?! Is he hurt?!" Tsunade's heart thuds against her rib cage and a blue glow emits from her hands as she looks Naruto over.

"He's just exhausted Tsunade-sama." Shizune gives her a quasi-smile. "He's had a long day."

Tsunade just hums and hugs him closer to his chest. "I'm going to put him in bed." Shizune follows the two blonde to the hotel and into their room. A mournful tear slides down her cheek as she watches a mother put her son to bed and tuck him in for the first time. So much time has been stolen from the small family and they were never going to get it back.

Shizune looks away when the moment becomes too private. She can still hear the hums and soft lyrics of the lullaby Tsunade used to sing to Naruto before he was born. She sits on the coach and waits for Tsunade to come out and join her. An hour latter Tsunade settles into a chair and looks more relaxed then she has in years.

"Have you and Jiraiya-sama come up with a plan?" She's been worried about Orochimaru all week and what it means for her little brother.

"Jiraiya and I will go and take care of the traitor and his pet. You will stay with Naruto and keep him safe." Her eyes give Shizune no room to argue.

"And where is Jiraiya-sama now?"

She gives her apprentice a conspiring smirk. "Getting into position so Orochimaru won't see him coming."

Naruto fought off a panic attack the next morning when he wakes up and doesn't remember how he got here. His head jerks to the left when her hears fabric rustling. Shizune is climbing out of bed and gives him a smile to put him at ease. "Where's the Old Hag?"

"Lady Tsunade and Jiraiya-sama went to fight Orochimaru," Shizune explained, fiddling the blanket on top of him.

"Then why is the old pervert outside the window?" Naruto throw his covers back before walking to the only window in the room and pushing it open.

Jiraiya gives Naruto and Shizune and pained grimace. "We have a problem. Someone poisoned my drink last night, meaning Tsunade went to fight Orochimaru by herself."

Painfully aware of his heartbeat, Naruto looks to the west when he feels a spike of chakra. "No…" he whispers. He just met her. He never got to ask her why. Why she gave him up and why she didn't want him. He's not even sure he wants the answers but he wants the option to ask them. He takes off and hears Jiraiya and Shizune calling out his name but he couldn't turn back. He remembers the snake bastard from the Chunin Exams. He was strong, stronger then the Third at least. "She needs help!" he shouts back.

Kurama is growling at him to calm down and to think everything through but he can't stop. His mind is running at a million miles an hour and can barely keep Kurama's chakra from flooding his system when he sees Kabuto moving in for the kill. Approaching from his blind side, Naruto is able to land a kick to his jaw, sending Kabuto up in the air.

"Don't touch her! Don't you dare touch her!" He screams taking a defensive stance in front of the older blonde.

"Naruto! Run away! Don't fight him! Run!" Tsunade's rasp begs him but he holds his ground.

Kabuto wipes the blood from his nose and smiles like a hyena. "Naruto Uzumaki, what a surprise. What do you think you're doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question." Naruto's body is humming with energy and begs him to leap forward and attack. When he first met Kabuto he knew something was off. His chakra reserves were a lot higher the any of the other genin there besides Gaara and himself. It's not surprising that he works for Orochimaru.

Kabuto scoffs and pushes his glasses up his nose. "Poor little orphan Naruto, thinking he can play ninja with the adults. Listen to the washed up medic. We wouldn't want the Leaf to lose its best weapon, now would we?"

"I am no one's weapon." His voice is heavy with emotions as he holds his ground, he just has to buy time until the old-fart and Shizune get here. "I'm a ninja of the Leaf Village and I will stop you!"

"Be that way." Kabuto darts forward after activating his chakra scalpels and Naruto meets him in the middle. They exchange blows as Naruto tries to avoid Kabuto's glowing hands while targeting his joints. As careful as he is, he's not careful enough and Kabuto nicks one of the tendons in his hands, rendering him incapable of forming hand seals.

"Naruto!" Tsunade screams, her mind stuck in the past. The two shinobi jump away from each other and Kabuto does a poor job of hiding his smugness.

"You should have listened Naruto." He lunges forward again and Naruto knows he is way out of is depth. Thankful before Kabuto can get too close, Shizune jumps in front of him.

"No you don't!" She yells as she engages him.

Jiraiya isn't far behind as he sizes up Orochimaru. They both aren't at their best, so really the best he can hope for is to keep him at bay until he decides to cut his losses and leave. "You killed the Third, Orochimaru. I can't let you leave here alive."

The snake chuffs to himself. "Like you could take me with that poison running through your blood." He licks his lips and grins wider. "You can thank Kabuto for that."

"I'll be sure to mention it at his funeral." The old sage glances back towards Naruto. "Keep Tsunade safe."

Nodding his head in affirmation, Naruto keeps an eye on both fights, making sure no stray kunai head in their direction. He has to keep himself from listening too closely to his "mother". Trying to think through her words, "No, not again. Kami don't take him from me. Not again, not my baby," could get them both killed. Looking at the battle, he can see that it's not going in their favor. Shizune is losing ground, inch by inch and Jiraiya is barely holding his own.

"I have to do something!" Naruto screams in his head, begging Kurama for ideas.

"If you engage with the snake you die. If you help with the medical nin, you will die." Kurama huffs, pretending not to care. "All you can do is keep guard of your mother. She needs you more then they need you."

Naruto clenches his fist as he watches Shizune take blow after blow. Most of what he knows is fūinjutsu and it wouldn't be very helpful in this battle. He's trying to learn other things but it's taking time even with his shadow clones. The final kick sends her soaring behind the two blondes and Naruto braces himself. "I don't have a choice now…" Kurama only moves to sit instead of laying down.

"It's only you and me now Naruto!" He taunts him. "Run away like a good little boy and maybe I'll spare your life."

"Not a chance!" Naruto shouts. He can't form any hand signs but maybe he will get lucky and take him by surprise. Their fight doesn't last every long and ends with Naruto being kicked into a rock. The air is knocked out of his lungs and he can't hear what Kabuto says to Tsunade due to the blood in his ears from the blow to his head. He tries to move but the muscles in his body won't respond. It's only when he watches Kabuto go to hit the petrified medic that he moves and he can't even remember doing it and takes Kabuto's hit in his headband.

"I told you! Don't touch her!" He still can't hear anything out of his left ear and he knows he only has one move left. Forming a Rasengan in his hand, he leaps forward with a growl to kill the silver hair man. His heart sinks when he not only dodges, but takes out his right leg.

Kabuto taunts him as he laughs and pulls out his card for the genin exams. Naruto still can't hear him but experience tells him what he's saying. The only way he's going to win this battle is if he can keep Kabuto in one place, but that puts him at extreme danger. He doesn't hear the man approach and is brought back to the situation when he gets kicked in the face. "Fight! God damn you! Fight!" Kurama shouts at him and Naruto catches the next kick.

"That's enough!" It's only because Kabuto is surprised that he is able to push him away. "I'm not going to run away… I'm not going to give up!" He forces himself to his feet and stands in defiance to all that Kabuto believe. Unable to react fast enough, Kabuto is able to get him with another charka scalpel to the right ear. Now he can't hear anything. He struggles to stand again and the ringing in his head is only making his headache worse. At least his mother is behind him now. "Alright, Granny." He smiles thinking about how angry that would make her. "Get ready to regret leaving me."

Kabuto seems even angrier then the has since the beginning of the battle and charges him. Kurama is screaming in his head for him to move, for him to do anything. "Don't you worry about me…" He lifts his hand and catches the kunai in his palm. "I refuse to die until I prove to everyone how wrong they are!"

He pools the chakra in his hand and forms the Rasengan he's worked on all week. "Compress the chakra… keep it going…" he mutters to himself, hoping his last hail mary will work. "Rasengan!" He forces the destructive ball into Kabuto's stomach and blasts him away.

He's breath comes in heavy pants and he struggles to breath. He knows something is wrong when the pressure in his chest continues to increase. His eyes go black as he falls to the ground. The last thing he sees is Kabuto still standing. "Guess my hail mary failed…" Naruto whispers to Kurama as he loses consciousness.

Naruto floats in a sea of black. He's never been alone before. At least not truly alone. Kurama has always been with him, through the good and the bad. The isolation is terrifying. Somehow he knows that his isn't how this is supposed to be happening. He's supposed to sink to the bottom—whatever the bottom is—but something is keeping him tethered to the surface. He hears broken words asking him not to die. Why he can hear now he has no idea. He lets the words lead him to the surface. He cracks his eyes open and the blurred figure of Tsunade fills his vision. His hand comes up to touch her face but he grabs her necklace instead. "I want your story." He tries to make his voice as clear as possible. "I want our story…"

 **A/N:** I didn't really want to write it because it's just a small part that I'm changing, but instead of just taking the sword to the chest, Tsunade punches Orochimaru's head into the ground. And, when Tsunade's genjutsu wears off at the end of the fight, she only ages fifteen years instead of like thirty.


	5. Chapter 5

**N/A:** So I got the idea with Naruto and the village from Margaret Atwood's poem "Half-Hanged Mary." It's a really good poem if anyone wants to read it. Make sure you also look up the back story that goes along with it.

I'm making it so that everyone knows that Naruto is a jinchuuriki. I've already stated that the whisker marks on Naruto's face are the mark of the nine-tails so everyone would be aware of this fact.

 **Chapter 5**

Tsunade can't help but cuddle her little boy. What makes her smile is that he is clinging to her just as much as she is to him. It doesn't really matter to her that he is unconscious and will probably be embarrassed when he wakes up in a couple of hours, but she will take what she can get. Burying her nose into his hair, she breaths deeply. He smells of sunshine and ramen, her new favorite smells. Her fingers leave his hair and go back to stroking his cheek.

Her baby almost died. He would have died without knowing the truth. Never ever is that going to happen again! Over her dead body! She can hear Shizune and Jiraiya moving in the other room and she tries to block them out. The need to stay her little bubble with her son just a little longer is strong.

It seems that her companions aren't on her side, though, because soon enough the bedroom door is sliding open and Jiraiya pokes his head inside. "Breakfast is ready." His gaze is concerned as he looks at both of the blondes.

"I'm going to stay here a little longer." Tsunade whispers to not wake up her son.

Stepping in further, Jiraiya gives Tsunade a searching look. "You know the kids isn't going to be happy if he wakes up like this."

Tsunade glares back. "I'm aware, but he won't let me go and I don't want him too." She runs his fingers threw his hair again. "I don't know if I'll ever get this opportunity again and I'm not going to pass on it now."

Jiraiya just hums and walks out the door. "Don't be too long. We need to leave in an hour to get back to the village." Tsunade feels Naruto stirring and contemplates killing Jiraiya later for interfering. Naruto burrows closer into her chest and she know he isn't aware of where he is yet, so she runs her hand over his back.

The moment Naruto becomes aware of where his head is resting his body tenses, not even the smell of Tsunade's Jasmine perfume can make him relax. He springs from the bed and hugs the wall, terrified he's about to get in trouble. For what he doesn't know; he usually doesn't need to do much to get in trouble. "I'm sorry!"

Pushing herself to her knees, she longs to pull her baby into her arms. "Don't apologies, Naruto. You have nothing to apologies for." A child should never say sorry for seeking comfort from their mother. A huge part of her hopes he'll do it again. "How are you feeling? Are you hungry?"

"I, um, I—" Naruto's stomach rumbles and his cheeks blush a bright red. "I'm hungry."

Tsunade smiles, trying to set her little boy at ease. "Let's go get you something to eat then." She wants to reach out to him, to wrap her arm around his shoulders and lead him into the kitchen. "Maybe we can talk later, yeah?"

The look Naruto gives her tells her that the talk she wants to have won't be happening anytime soon if her baby has any say in the matter.

* * *

Naruto is walking ahead of them as they make their way back to the Hidden Leaf Village. They had been traveling for several days and Naruto hadn't said much to any of his companions. He had his head down, concentrating on the leaf in his hands. The older three shinobi hadn't told Naruto they knew what he what he was doing yet, and Jiraiya was losing patience. He couldn't understand why his pupil wouldn't want his help. He had taught him summoning and the Rasengan; he could help Naruto if the boy would just let him!

"Hey kid." Jiraiya walks a little faster to catch up to Naruto. "What'cha doing?"

Naruto squints up at the pervert, defensives rising. "What's it to you?" In his experience, people taking an interest in his activities never ended well and it's not like the pervert didn't already know. He has been looking at him differently since they found the incubator.

"I'm your Sensei." Jiraiya's temper reaches its end fast. Nothing gets him more than when people don't show him respect. He's worked far too long and far too hard to let a boy talk to him this way. "How am I supposed to help you be a better shinobi if you're hiding things from me?"

Naruto snorts. "Well, I'm not buying, you old pervert!" The Toad Sage just wants to use him as a weapon and he isn't going to let that happen.

"You little!" Losing his temper, Jiraiya picks Naruto up and holds him up to his face. "I'm your Sensei! I'm trying to help you!"

Tsunade's own temper flares and she's about to punch Jiraiya into next week when Naruto's words stop her. "Like you helped me learn how to summon by pushing me off a cliff?! Like you gave me to basics to the Rasengan and then left me all alone while you spent time with your whores!"

"Well you learned, didn't you!" Jiraiya shouted back, but his anger was diminishing. "This is how you learn!"

"Well it's not how I learn." Naruto mutters back. "Everything you told me was absolutely no help."

"Then how do you explain being able to perform the jutsu!" Jiraiya's temper is back.

"None of your Goddamn business." He shoots back.

At this point Tsunade has had enough. "You did, what?!" Stomping forward, she grabs Jiraiya's hand to make him drop her son then sends him flying with a punch. When she looks down, Shizune is already there helping Naruto up. She leans down to cup Naruto cheek after he stands up. "Are you okay, baby?"

Naruto looks to the floor, cheeks flaming. No one has done anything like that since his Obaa-chan was alive. "I told you she loves you, kit." Kurama grumbles in his head. Naruto jerks his head away and creates some distance between him and the two women.

"I'm fine!" He grunts, eyes darting everywhere. "I'm going to scout ahead and look for somewhere to stop for today." It was almost five anyways so he thinks it's a good excuse. Tsunade and Shizune see right through him, though and he knows it.

"Don't go too far ahead, okay." Tsunade is itching to keep him with her but she knows that will only push him further away. "If something happens just yell."

"Yeah, yeah…" Naruto brushes her request off and runs down the road, trying to create both emotional and physical distance. He doesn't know what to make of Tsunade and her claims that she loves him. He has only been loved by one other person in his life and that person ended up dead because of him. Those thoughts burn a hole in his heart and has to distract himself with other thoughts. Thoughts that the old pervert was right. He wasn't making any progress on learning to manipulate wind chakra. He had learned water chakra this way though, but it had taken him six years and he only know the basics and is just getting into the genin level stuff. He doesn't want learning wind chakra to take that long. He'll have to ask for help if he wants to be able to use it eventually. Maybe he could ask Asuma-oniisan to help him. Their relationship has been strained since his mother's death. They hadn't spoken much since the day he left to join the Guardian 12. Since he came back, they go to dinner sometimes.

"You could ask Tsunade for help…" Kurama grumbles in his ear.

"No way." He doesn't know if he can trust the incubator. She other ninja and they could tell the rest of the village and that wouldn't end well for him. "The only reason oniisan can know is because Obaa-chan made him promise to never tell any of my secrets and he would never betray Obaa-chan."

Kurama growls and nudges his kit. "As long as you remember that the life of a ninja is short. Keeping Tsunade at arm's length might not be in your best interest.

* * *

When Tsunade and Shizune met up with Naruto at the hotel, Naruto is smiling wide because the lady at the front desk told her there was a pool. Tsunade can feel his joy radiating off him and couldn't help the smile that filled her face at finally seeing her baby being truly happy.

"Has Jiraiya-sama shown up yet?" Shizune asked, smiling at her little brother.

"Yep" Naruto huffs. "Said he wanted to avoid Granny over her until she calms down."

Tsunade clenches her fist, thinking about what she wants to do to that old man. "Jiraiya and I have some things to talk about and, if he knows what's good for him, he'll show up before I get angrier."

"Well," Naruto hedges, not interested in the lecture it looked like the perverted sage is going to get. "I'm going to swim." He isn't allowed in any of the bath houses and pools in the village so this is a real treat for him.

"We'll join you." Shizune says for her sensei, knowing that she is too worried Naruto will tell her not to if she suggests it.

Naruto hesitates. Part of him wants more time way from the two medical ninja and another want to spend more time with them to get to know them better. "I guess… I'll meet you there then…" Naruto leaves before they can say anything else.

"She might not react well Naruto," Kurama mutters, thinking about all the scars on his host's body. "This will be the first time she'll see all of the scars the village has given you."

Naruto bites his lip. "She's going to see them eventually."

"That's true…" The red fox sighs and falls back asleep.

* * *

Tsunade sits down on the edge pool, her eyes following her little boy as he takes a running leap into the pool. She laughs when he floats up to the surface on his back. The glistening water on her son's skin draws her eyes to the scars marring the young boy's body. She thought she had prepared herself for what she was likely to see after she noticed the rope burn scars on his neck, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. He has numerous circular burn marks from cigarette buds and old knife wounds with varying degrees of thickness. Her baby has been through so much in such a short amount of time.

"So, Naruto…" Shizune swims over to Naruto. "Tells us about yourself."

"What do you want to know?" He questions, warry of their curiosity. There is so much they don't know and so much he doesn't want to answer.

Luckily, Shizune starts off small. "What do you like to do?"

Naruto hums and looks up at the clouds. "I like training, ramen, and shogi."

"Shogi, huh?"

"Yep." Naruto pops the 'p' and smiles at the medic. "I'm still learning but it's fun."

"Maybe we can play sometime?" Tsunade suggests and Naruto just hums in response.

"What are your friends like?" Shizune asks.

"I don't know…" Naruto hedges as he tries to think what to say. "Shikamaru and Chōji let me play with them sometimes when we were younger but we're shinobi now." Not that they really hung out that often in the first place… and he can't really stay that he talks to Gaara since he does that through Kurama. It had been an interesting discovery to find that he could enter a combined mindscape with Gaara and Shukaku when he meditated in his own mindscape with Kurama.

Both Tsunade and Shizune bite their lips and don't know what to say. Naruto picks up the slack and tells them about Lee. Tsunade agrees right away to take a look at the taijutsu specialist when they get back to the village.

It's after an hour of playing that Shizune asks the question Tsunade is dying to know the answer too when they are both hanging onto the edge of the pool near her. "Naruto-kun, how did you get the scar around your neck?"

Naruto's eyes widen in panic and Tsunade is afraid he's going to run. He rubs his neck and looks down at the pool floor. "The Villagers got drunk one day and thought they could save the village if they got rid of me." Tsunade's hand moves to brush against his. "They put a rope around my neck and hung me from a tree."

Tsunade lowers herself into the pool—fully clothed—and tries to pull her child into her arms, but Naruto doesn't let it happen. He backs away from her and glares. "Luckily the old man found me the next morning and cut me loose."

"You were in the tree all night?" Shizune covers her mouth and her stomach clenches.

Tsunade glares at her apprentice for making Naruto think about it anymore then he already is. Naruto doesn't know what to do. His instincts are telling him to fall into her arms

"I know I can't change the past," Tsunade whispers to him, trying to comfort him with her voice. "But I'll make sure nothing like that ever happens again."

Naruto pulls himself out of the pool and gives her a searching look. "We'll see."

* * *

Jiraiya sits in one of the high trees one hundred feet outside of the women's bath house that he and his companions are staying at. He giggles, taking notes and 'researching' his next book. Researching with Tsunade close by is probably a bad idea, but he had to kill time somehow until she calms down enough to have a rational conversation and he can't resist the temptation.

The cracking of the tree he is standing on his first sign that he has been found. He knows that running at this moment would be pointless; Tsunade will just catch him and beat him to a pulp. He will have to try to appeal to her rational side, even if doing to is a pointless in devour. He has to think of a plan fast.

"You pointless waste of space!" She towers above him, looking down with contempt. "What on Kami's green earth were you thinking?!" Her hand grips his shirt before he can move and she tries to shake some sense into him. "You pushed him off a cliff! He could have gotten hurt! He could have died! What were you thinking?!"

"I—I—I—" The flopping of his head prevents him from getting the words out and he's pretty sure she's going to break his neck.

"What do you have to say for yourself?!" She finally stops shaking him and he tries to get his brain to stop rolling around his head. "Say something!"

"I was just trying to get him to use the nine-tail's chakra!" He defends himself. "From the reports that Sensei and Kakashi gave me, he's only been able to use it when he's like is in danger!"

"I don't give a damn!" He can feel her spit hitting his face. "You were supposed to be teaching him! You were supposed to keep him safe! He's my baby!"

"I made a bad decision, but I won't apologies for it!"

Tsunade drops him and glares. "What about teaching him something else, something to keep him safer? You could have worked on defensive or offensive jutsu. You could have worked on cleaning up his taijutsu. You could have—"

"I'll have you know that since he's know me, Naruto's taijutsu has improved a great deal!" Jiraiya smirks a little. Proud that his presence has had such a positive effect on Naruto.

"Well, did you take any time to teach him taijutsu?"

"Well, no…" Jiraiya began.

"Then how do you know he wasn't being taught by anyone else?" She demanded to know.

"He was with me for that entire month. We met in the morning, practice the summoning jutsu, then broke for sleep!"

Tsunade could barely contain her rage. "Do you know how the Uzumaki and Senju clan got so powerful?"

Jiraiya doesn't appreciate the history lecture and spits out, "Of course, Hime. The Uzumaki were fūinjutsu masters and Senju were ninjutsu master. They both had incredible healing capabilities along with large chakra reserves." Tsunade isn't surprised he doesn't know. It wasn't common knowledge and she only knows because of Mito baa-chan. She suspects Naruto knows and is using it but she can't figure out how he knows.

"It was because they used the Shadow Clone jutsu with their massive chakra pools to exponentially increase the amount of time they spend training a day." She looms over the Toad Sage. "How do you know the real Naruto was with you, or that there wasn't a shadow clone somewhere else in the village?"

Jiraiya licks his lips. He hadn't considered that before. Hadn't wanted to. Why would Naruto go looking for another sensei when he was right there? "I… I don't know…"

"Maybe you would have if you treated him like a twelve-year-old boy instead of the Village's weapon."

* * *

That night, Tsunade lays in bed unable to sleep. She's consumed by the thought of her baby boy being hurt by the people she grew up around, or that grew up around her. She fought in battle after battle to protect them and keep them safe and they can't extend that curtesy to her son. Granted, they don't know who exactly her baby is but that shouldn't matter. He is a child of the Konoha, one of the Kings of the village.

Part of her, the part that holds a grudge tighter then Kakashi holds onto his precious books, wants to raze the village to the ground in retaliation. The part of her that was taught the beliefs of her family and sensei resents that idea. All of her life had been taught that protecting the village and the Land of Fire was of the upmost priority.

The war in her heart comes to a temporary ceasefire when the door to her bedroom slides open. She can barely make out her son's figure in the moon light and they just stare at each other. Tsunade doesn't know what he wants her to do, so she gives into her own needs and lifts the comforter back and waits.

Naruto does really know what to do. He woke up from _that_ nightmare again; well not really a nightmare, but a memory. The one where Obaasan lays dying in a pool of blood. Naruto tries to protect her with his little body but the rogue ninja just lifts him up by his jammies. Obaasan begging the ninja not to hurt Naruto, but he wasn't thinking about himself. He was just thinking that this ninja was going to kill one of the only people that cared about him. He's still not sure how he did it. Kurama says he probably won't be able to do it again until he masters both water and earth chakra because of Kurama's chakra suppressing his abilities.

 _A wooden spike erupts from his palm and skewers the ninja through the heart. Both he and the ninja drop to the ground and the wood disappears in Naruto's hand. He crawls over to his Obaasan and tries to stop the bleeding._

" _Seems like we were wrong about you Naruto." She wipes the tears falling down his face. "You're Tsunade's son…" Naruto's not paying that much attention though until she slaps his cheek lightly. "You mustn't tell anyone what you can do… Danzo already wants you for Kurama… You can't give him anymore reasons…" She and Sarutobi have been fighting off petitions for years for that old coot to take Naruto under his wing. This development getting out would cause more of the counsel to support Danzo's plea. "Promise me…"_

" _I promise…" Naruto sniffles._

" _My baby…" Biwako coos as the lights fade. "Tell Ojiisan to find…"_

Naruto never knew how she was going to finish that sentence, but now he can guess. Only Kurama had already told him that his incubator was dead. He can help but wonder how his life would have turned out if this woman had been there his whole life. Maybe that's why he's feet seemed to lead him here when he went out for air.

Naruto ghosts over to the bed and climbs in. He feels calmer when he's in her arms, like being in his Obaasan's arms. Tsunade feels like it's a miracle the way he can just take all the pain in her heart away and sooths it like a balm.

They don't say anything and just lay close together. Tsunade's hand find his hair and she runs her fingers through it. Naruto's hand clenches her shirt and he presses his face into her neck. It has been so long since someone let him close enough to seek comfort like this. When he was little, Obaa-chan would hold him in her lap and he would press the slope of his nose in to the curve of her neck. The tangy, sweet perfume she wore filled his nose and calmed his anxiety. Her soft, wrinkly skin felt like satin against his cheek and nose.

It felt different to cuddle into Tsunade, but it was just as comforting as it was with his Obaa-chan. She smells of jasmine and soap. Her skin isn't as soft but it's more comfortable. Hearing the beat of her heart takes away all of his anxiety. He doesn't have to worry about what Kurama said. As long as she still has a heartbeat she's alive and he can keep her that way. He won't fail this woman like he failed Obaasan. He will keep her safe if it is the last thing he does.


	6. Chapter 6

**N/A:** I was going to wait until tomorrow to post this but I got too excited. I really hope you like it. Thanks to gohan90 for pointing out some inconsistency to me. I went back and fixed them. I hope the coming chapters alleviate some of your concerns. And JordanGG13 reviewed ever chapter which I thought was really cool, so thank you for that.

I'm making it so that the whole Kisame and Itachi trying to capture Naruto, and Kakashi and Sasuke getting hurt didn't happen. I'm not sure how closely I'm going to follow cannon. The Akatsuki thing might not happen. I'm also trying to think about missions Team Seven could go on but I can't think of anything that really stands out to me. Any Ideas?

I'm also a little worried that I'm pushing Naruto's and Tsunade's relationship a little too fast over the next couple chapters. Give me your opinion.

 **Chapter 6**

As they approach the village, Tsunade's heart sits in her chest like an anvil. She doesn't know what reaching the village will mean for her and Naruto. Every night since the first, Naruto has been sneaking into her room after everyone else goes to sleep and lets her hold him. Those eight hours have been the best in her long life and the thought of them ending makes her sick. She knows that traditionally he is much too old to sleep in his mother's bed but she really doesn't care, and she's hopeful that one of these times he'll let her tell him their story.

Naruto seems to be a ball of energy and she's not sure if it's nerves or excitement. Probably a combination of the two. It pains her that she can't read her child like a mother should. She knows that it will take time, time to get to know him and to learn all his little quirks, but she is not a patient person.

He's taken to calling her Granny, which irks her, but at least he's not calling her an incubator. She hopes she'll be able to heal Lee. From the way it sounded, Lee is the only ninja in their age group that takes her son seriously. She'll do anything to help Lee for that.

Naruto moves with grace as he weaves his way through the streets of Konoha. The murmured insults don't seem to faze him but it makes Tsunade's temper rise. Who are they to treat him like this after he saved them when the Sound attacked? Naruto could have let the Sand's jinchuuriki rampage through the streets but he didn't. He put his life on the line to defend them all and they don't seem to care at all.

The last straw for Tsunade is when a kunai, coming from a group of Chunin, barely misses Naruto as he ducks out of the way. He doesn't even bother to turn around to defend himself from the attack, almost as if he is used to it. Tsunade smiles internally as her heal comes down on the laughing ninja who claims he'll "get the demon brat next time." She moves on auto pilot as she takes out each of the five ninja with the ease of blowing out a candle.

The whole entire street is as quiet as a feather falling to the ground as they watch her but she only has eyes on Naruto. He seems confused, like he can't understand why she defended him. She knows that if that surprised him, then her next words would floor him even more. "An attack against Naruto Uzumaki will know be seen as an attack against the Hokage and action will be taken against the perpetrators!" The silence is overwhelming and she can see the hesitation in Naruto's eyes. Her baby doesn't know what to make of her action, which only adds to the list of things that break her heart.

Jiraiya, never being one for uncomfortable silences, laughs. "Well, while you three go to the hospital, I've got somethings I need to get done. See you later." The Toad Sage turned around and walks away with a wave.

Naruto just continues to stare at the Slug princess, his cheeks turning red. Trying to recover, Naruto fixes his face into one of exasperation. "Come on Granny. We need to get to the hospital." He then takes off to the hospital, jumping on the roofs to get there faster. More likely to get away from her.

Tsunade sighs, following her blonde haired ninja to the hospital. Shizune keeps glancing over at her sensei, before asking what's on her mind. "Lady Tsunade, will Naruto continue staying with us now that we're back in the village?"

Tsunade's stomach ached. "I have no idea, Shizune. That's up to Naruto." She prayed to Kami that he will want to.

In no time at all, they make it to the hospital and Naruto is ushering them inside and leading them down the hallway to his friend's room. Shizune breaks off to do an inspection of the hospital—Tsunade told her on the trip here that she was going to take over running the hospital. Bursting in, he waits for Tsunade to start examining Lee.

Guy is already waiting inside and smiles at Naruto. "Have you been practicing your taijutsu?"

"Yep." Naruto smiles back, knowing that Guy Sensei is one of the few people in the village that would be happy to hear that he improved. "I even got to use it in battle." Naruto seems to deflate a little as he gives him a small smile. "It didn't go so well but I lasted a lot long then I would have otherwise."

"That's my boy!" Guy gives the young boy a thumbs up and a giant smile. Tsunade can't help but be glad that someone is helping her little boy get stronger. "We'll start again tomorrow, okay? We need to increase your speed so you can become even deadlier!"

"Thanks, Sensei." Naruto smiles back. When Kakashi refused to teach him, he knew he had to go somewhere else if he was going to survive in this world. He knew his taijutsu needed a lot of work so he went to the village taijutsu expert. He knew from the way Guy treated him that he wouldn't have to worry about him holding Kurama against him.

Tsunade hates to interrupt, but she's finished her assessment. "It doesn't look good for you, Lee." Tsunade keeps her emotions in check, fearing that Naruto, Lee, and Guy will react poorly to the news.

"He can get better, though, right?" Guy steps closer to his student, sweat dripping from his face.

Tsunade want to close her eyes and disappear. "It breaks my heart to tell you this… but you can no long be a shinobi."

The tension is pliable and Guy can only laugh. "Tsunade-sama, what a lame joke…"

Naruto just looks at the medic and Tsunade steels herself. "There are numerous bone fragments lodged within vital parts of your neural framework…" She doesn't want to continue but knows she must. "You're in no condition to operate as a shinobi. Even if I operate on you…"

Guy felt the world crumbling around him and he refused it accept it. "Who the hell are you?! You can't be Tsunade-sama! Tsunade-sama accomplishes the impossible every day! You can't be—"

"She is Tsunade Senju." Naruto defended, sounding defeated. "Sometimes... things just don't... work out how you want them too…" Naruto trails off.

"There… there isn't any… hope?" Lee askes and Tsunade is crushed knowing that not only has she let down three people, but she has let down her son.

"I am the only one able to perform this surgery, but not only will it require a large amount of time… it is also incredibly risky." She knows that she can't stop now, she has to look away from her son's face. "At best, the highest rate of success for such an operation would only be fifty percent… if it fails, he will die. Even if it is successful, he will have to endure extensive rehabilitation."

Lee gets up abruptly and stalks out of the room despite Naruto's protests. Guy has the weight of all of Guy's dreams on his shoulders. "If I had known you would have told him that… I never would have brought him to you…"

"I understand how you feel… but—"

"What if you use that trick Kabuto used to survive the Rasengan?" Naruto hates seeing the people he cares about in pain.

Tsunade purses her lips as she thinks it over. "I'll have to do some research…"

Guy looks up with the biggest smile on his face. "Lee has a chance?! I need to go tell him!"

"No." Tsunade stops him. "I might not be able to find a way. It's best not to give him false hope…" Both Naruto and Guy look down trodden as they leave the room and Tsunade can't help but call out before Naruto leaves. "Can we meet for dinner tonight?"

Naruto looks back at her like he was surprised at her request, like he was expecting her to forget about him when they got back to the village. "I uh… I guess… Where do you want to eat?" He mutters, looking down at his shoes.

"I'm not sure… If I remember correctly, Yakiniku Q has some really good food. Maybe we can eat there." Fear flashes in Naruto's eyes at the suggestion. "Or we can go somewhere else." Tsunade is begging him with her eyes for him to tell her why he doesn't want to go to Yakiniku Q.

"Well," Naruto's eyes flash around the room, before hardening themselves as the look at her. Almost changeling her. "The only restaurant that lets me in is Ichiraku Ramen. The last time I tried to go to Yakiniku Q the hostess shooed me away with a broom."

Tsunade fills with rage and a huge part of her wants to destroy all of the restaurants in town. She has to take several deep breaths before she can answer. "We can go to Ichiraku's then." She breaths in deeply to keep the anger out of her voice, there isn't much she can do about the restaurants at the moment. _I'll have a meeting with the restaurant owners' tomorrow._

Naruto nods and the uncertainty in his eyes are back. "Just drop by my apartment when you're done for the day, yeah?" He backs out of the room; a sad smile mars his face. "Just ask anyone were the demon lives and they can tell you."

Just like that her baby is gone. She stays froze in the room, saddened that the answer to Shizune's question was the last thing that she wanted it to be. Tsunade doesn't think that she'll get a single night's sleep in this village knowing that Naruto isn't close enough that she was only a second away if something happens. She steps closer to the window, and waits for her baby to exit the building.

Naruto walks out with his hands in his pockets, looking down at the ground. He stops when he sees Asuma Sarutobi leaning against the fence. Tsunade can see them talking but can't hear what they are saying, but the smile on her son's face tells her that everything is okay. She can't help but wonder what their relationship is. He would have been around when Naruto was little but according to Jiraiya Asuma joined the Twelve Guardian Ninja after his mother died. Maybe she will ask Naruto about it later or Asuma about it tomorrow after the meeting with all of the genin squad senseis.

* * *

Anger radiates off Tsunade in waves. When she asked for directions to Naruto's apartment, people had the gall to call her baby a demon! She put a stop to that right away. Maybe at her inauguration in the morning she will announce that Naruto is her son. That would bring its own risk of having her enemies targeting her through him, not that she would let them touch a hair on his head. She will have to talk to him about it first. She prays he'll want her to claim him.

The building in front of her was better than she was expecting. It's an older building that had been remolded sometime in the last five to ten years. She smiles, glad that at least her old sensei made sure he wasn't destitute. Once up the steps, Tsunade takes a deep breath before knocking on the door. The door swings open fairly fast and her little boy is standing in front of her. He tries to keep a blank face but she can see the relief in his eyes. It will take time, but she will show him that she's not going anywhere.

"Are you ready?" Tsunade clasps her hands in front of her body to prevent herself from pulling him into her arms.

"Yep." Naruto smiles at her but it's only fake. He's nervous around her and it kills her. He steps out and shut the door behind him.

"Aren't you going to lock the door?" she asks him, worried when they start walking down the stairs.

"It's kind of pointless…" He rubs the back of his head and his cheeks turn pink. "If they want to get in, they will. A locked door won't stop them."

He has a knowing look in his eyes and it just makes her fear of having him away from her grow. "How often do people break in?"

"Not as often as they used to… it's why I keep all of my valuable on me in a storage seal." He fingers his pouch.

Tsunade can tell that he's hiding something else and decides to push him a little. "What else do you do?"

Naruto blushes and looks up at her through his bangs. "I'm assuming Shizune told you about the fūinjutsu?"

"She didn't have too," Tsunade hums. "I found them when I went looking for you that night." She smiles a little at his shocked expression. Her caring for him is something that he's just going to have to get used too.

"Y-y-you did?" He can't believe someone who barely knows him would come after him. This woman keeps surprising him and he doesn't know what to think about it.

"Of course." This time she can't stop her hand from running her fingers through his hair. "I will always come looking for you."

His blush deepens and she lets her hand fall away. They walk in silence and Tsunade tries to think of what to say, but before she can think of anything, Naruto stops and pulls a curtain aside for her. "We're here."

She gives him a smile and walks into the shop looking around. The place seems warm and inviting. An older man is cooking behind the counter and a woman, who she assumes is his daughter, is serving ramen to their customers. When the bell rings, the older man glances at them.

"I'll be with you in a sec—" His head whips back and he has eyes only for Naruto.

"Hey, old man." Tsunade can hear the glee in his voice and she smiles too.

"Well, if it isn't Naruto!" He exclaims. "Sit down, sit down. I'll have one miso ramen right up!"

Naruto hops onto one of the stools and pats the one next to him for her to sit. "It's not just me tonight. This old Granny is eating with me tonight."

"Is that so?" The ramen man smiled. "What will you be having?"

"The same as Naruto." Tsunade is glad to see that at least one of the villagers saw her baby as an actual person instead of the demon he holds.

"You know, Naruto." The ramen man's daughter steps up behind him. "Next time the village gets attacked and you go off to defend it, you need to come and tell us you're okay!" She wraps her arms around Naruto and Tsunade's glad that the number of people that care about Naruto has increased by one.

"Sorry, Ayame." Naruto blushes and leans back into the teenager. He had wanted to come and tell them but he had been afraid to let the other villagers see him. "I had to get out of the village pretty fast after everything…"

"Don't worry, Naruto," Teuchi whispers as he sets the ramen down in front of the two blondes. "Everyone thinks it was Jiraiya-sama who summoned Gamabunta, not you. You're safe."

Naruto lets out a breath of air and rubs his neck. "I was wondering why no one broke into my place while I was gone."

"Naruto…" Tsunade pauses before she adds baby; she wasn't sure how he would take it in this situation. "Are you sure you're going to be safe tonight sleeping at your apartment? You can come and stay with Shizune and I." She doesn't want to pressure him, but she wants him to stay with her. A big part of her hopes that even if he doesn't, he'll turn up in the middle of the night to climb into her bed.

"I'll be okay." Naruto tries to give her a reassuring smile. "I have some fūinjutsu set up to tell me if anyone enters the apartment without permission." He blushes a little harder. "I even have a genjutsu weaved in to fool the person into believing that I'm somewhere in the apartment other than where I really am."

"You'll have to show me what all you can do with fūinjutsu." Tsunade urges. "I might be able to help you."

Naruto's eyes become harder as he looks at her. "Obaa-chan gave me a lot of books and stuff when she was still alive. I think I'll be okay."

"Okay," she says despite feeling like her body is shattering. "Maybe I can help you with something else some other time."

"That sounds good."

They are silent for the rest of the dinner, and Tsunade can't think of what to do to fix it. Every time she tries to bring something up Naruto sticks to one word answers and doesn't offer anything up in return. It's when they are back at his apartment door that she figures that she as nothing left to lose today.

"Tomorrow, when I officially become the Hokage, I would like to announce that you're my son."

"W-w-why would you do that?!" Naruto eyes are as wide as disks. This is the last thing he wants. One, it could put him in more danger then he already is and two, it would bring him one step closer to revealing his secrets.

"Because you're my son." Tsunade cups his cheek. "I'm not afraid to let people know that. I think it's been a long enough time since the second shinobi war that I doubt any of my enemies would come after you to get to me. The only one who might, is an old kunoichi from the Sand, but I hear her mind isn't what it used to be. We have nothing to fear."

She can tell that her words don't give him any of the comfort that she meant to. He's too stubborn to listen. "I don't think that's a good idea. I'm not strong enough yet and I'm not sure how the village will react..."

"I'll protect you." Tsunade promises.

"Still…"

Tsunade wants to protest and argue for it but she knows that it won't do her any good. Instead, she leans down and kisses him on his forehead. "Whenever you are ready, just tell me. I'll be over joyed to tell the world that you are my son."

* * *

Tsunade lays in bed that night looking at the ceiling. Her mind running over everything that she knows about her Naru-chan, trying to think of ways to get through his walls. He doesn't seem to think that he can depend on people, so she will just have to prove to him that she is different. Having dinner together is a start. She would like to start with nightly dinners but she'll have to see what he is comfortable with.

She also wants to be able to connect with him and Naruto said his favorite thing to do is to train. Maybe he'll let her help him with his training. He already said no to fūinjutsu, but maybe medical ninjutsu is an alternative. Training him in elemental release is also an option. It was common for children to share affinities with their parents, but it seems like Naruto already got Minato's. The one element she doesn't know and Naruto has it. Maybe, just maybe, he has two. She would love to help her baby achieve his dream and get stronger. If not, she'll just have wait for him to master wind before training another one.

She closes her eyes when the sun peeks out over the tree line and shines into her eyes. She waited all night and Naruto never came. She knew it was naïve to hope that he would but she couldn't help it. "Maybe tomorrow…" she whispers.


	7. Chapter 7

**N/A:** Naruto being the jinchuuriki is going to be common knowledge. Everyone would know that the whisker marks on his face are a sign of the nine-tails and would give him away.

 **Chapter 7**

Tsunade sits at her new desk pensive as she goes over the progress reports for Team Asuma. It seems like Chōji Akimichi and Ino Yamanaka both had the makings to be Chunin but currently lacked necessary qualities. Chōji is lazy and relies too heavily on Shikamaru Nara, while Ino is too hot headed for the stress the position creates. Shikamaru on the other hand has all the necessary qualification needed to become an excellent Chunin.

"I agree with your assessment and the recommendations of the council, Asuma." Tsunade scribbles her signature on the promotion paper work. "Shikamaru Nara will be promoted to Chunin."

Asuma beams proudly and before Tsunade can move on to Kurenai, he interjects. "When the Sound and Sand attacked, I followed Shikamaru Nara, Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Shino Aburame in their pursuit of the Genin Gaara. I witnessed Shino battle Kankurō I believe that he displayed the qualities needed in a Chunin. I realize, that as he didn't battle in the third exam, he isn't qualified, but—"

"You think he deserves a field promotion considering that technically it was a time of war." Tsunade finishes for him. "What do you think Kurenai?"

"I agree with Asuma's assessment. Shino will make a good Chunin and I recommend he gets a promotion." Kurenai nods reverently.

"And the rest of your team? Is there anything you would like to add on to your reports?" Tsunade questions as she fills out the promotion paper work for Shino.

"Just that we are working on Hinata's confidence and Kiba's temper. They should achieve promotion at the next Chunin Exams." Kurenai expands.

"Good." Tsunade pulls forward the last of the Genin reports. "Kakashi, how is your team coming along?"

"Sasuke is making excellent progress with the sharingan." Kakashi tone is one of boredom, but she didn't expect any less out of him. "He tends to put too much responsibility on himself during missions and we are working on that. He should be ready by the next exam. Sakura's chakra control is well beyond that of a genin and I am recommending for her to join the Ninja Medical Core. Unfortunately," he sighs, "she has the same problems as Ino Yamanaka with her temper."

Tsunade quirks her eyebrow at his hesitation. "What about Naruto Uzumaki?"

"It's hard to tell with Naruto. It appears that he struggles with the basics. His chakra control is poor and his taijutsu is sloppy. We are working on it, but he seems distracted during trainings."

Confused about what he means, she starts to ask him before being interrupted by Guy. "Lady Hokage, I've been working with Naruto with his taijutsu and it has improved quite a lot." His eyes scrunch together and he glances down to Kakashi. "I was surprised to learn this morning that Naruto uses weight seals."

Almost everyone in the room looked surprised except Asuma and Tsunade narrows in on him. "You don't look surprised Asuma."

"I find it's best not to underestimate Naruto. As you know," Asuma hesitates, looking around at his fellow sensei. "Naruto practices fūinjutsu."

Guy, Kurenai, and Kakashi look shocked and Tsunade just smiles. "I am aware, yes." She hums and thinks over her options. "What else do you know?" How long he hesitates tells her how reluctant he is to give anything away. "The three of you are dismissed." Her eyes are only on Asuma.

"Lady Hokage," Kakashi protests. "I am Naruto's sensei. I should be included in this conversation."

"You couldn't even bother to show up for his fight against Neji Hyūga, and you expect me to believe you care about Naruto's education?" Tsunade is done with people pushing her baby to the side.

"I was training Sasuke." Kakashi defends.

"What about the last six months that you had him as a student?" Tsunade glares. "Were you busy training Sasuke that entire time? Leave us!" She commands, and Kakashi is smart enough to leave through the door before he leaves through a hole in the wall.

As soon as he leaves, Asuma speaks. "Orochimaru placed a Five Element Seal on Naruto during the second exam." At her panicked expression, he continues. "He was able to release it but I think someone should look at his seal. Naruto says it's the same but I would feel better if you looked at it."

"I'll look at it today."

After the exchange, the two shinobi stare at each other, both unwilling to break the silence. Tsunade isn't sure how hard she should push. On one hand, she is the Hokage and needs to know the capacities of her shinobi. On the other hand, she doesn't want to push her son into opening up to her before he is ready. She decides to go first. "I know he's trying to learn medical ninjutsu and trying to master wind chakra manipulation. I know he's accomplishing all of this with his shadow clones. His chakra reserves are much higher than his body can handle." Her fingers tap the desk. "I know that you requested to be Naruto's sensei but the request was denied when he was placed on a team with the Uchiha. What do you know?"

Asuma gives her a sad smile. "I know you are his mother and he doesn't know how to feel about that." She's shock that Naruto told his this and it makes her happy that he is claiming her as family after being admit that he doesn't want people to know. "I know that there is only so much more I can help him with. Beyond that, I can and have provide him with scrolls to guide him but that's not how he learns. He needs a teacher and I think you are an ideal candidate to help him."

"I want to help him." She leans her elbows against her desk. "He's reluctant to let me."

"Naruto is used to only having a handful of people care about him." The pain in Asuma's eyes is evident. "Having two more is more then he knows how to handle." Asuma looks out the window. "He's always wanted a mother but now that he has one, he doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know how to feel."

She buries her face in her hand and wills the tears away. "He doesn't want me to claim him as my child or take the Senju name…"

The seconds feel like minutes. "He turned my mother down when she offered to adopt him. He didn't want the Sarutobi name." Tsunade looks at him and they share a weak smile. "I asked him about it yesterday. He said he might be a Senju by blood and raised as a Sarutobi, but he's an Uzumaki in his heart."

* * *

Naruto sits in his clearing, beyond frustrated that he hasn't been able to make any progress in anything other than wind chakra manipulation. He can still only use the most basic water technics, he still can't get the damn fish to heal, and he can't get the damn rock to crumple. He can't get the storage seals modified for his body. Thanks to Asuma oniisan he was finally able to cut the stupid leaf in half, but now he can only get a small puff of smoke for his Smoke Dome.

His whole body tenses when he feels someone entering his barrier. He's about to go into flight mode when he recognizes Asuma's smell. Falling on his back, he breaths deeply and looks up at the clouds while dispersing his clones. It's so frustrating, no matter how hard or how long he practices he can't seem to get it. According to Kurama, this was how his sperm donor learned. Part of him thinks that the village might be right after all. That he was too stupid to be a ninja.

"We both know that's not true Naruto." Kurama nudges him. "You're fūinjutsu is coming along nicely."

"That's only because you're here to walk me through it." Naruto closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "If you weren't helping me I wouldn't be able to do anything."

"That was only when you were learning." Kurama licks the side of his face. "Now I sleep through most of it."

"Well it's not like I can really use it in battle! Most of it is for ambushes and stuff…" Naruto can't help but think back to his fight with Kabuto. He should have died. If he hadn't learned the Rasengan he would have.

Asuma interrupts his thoughts when he stands next to him and bumps his side. "Calling it in for today?"

"No," he grunts, opening his eyes. "I just can't get anything to work and it's frustrating me."

The older man smirks down at him. "Remember, you need to pool the chakra deep in your stomach. Make it as hard and condensed as you can. Then expel it in a rush."

"I'm trying but all I can get is a puff." He grumbles sitting up and grabbing the hand Asuma offers him.

Asuma jerks Naruto to his feet and takes a drag from his cigarette. "That means the chakra isn't condensed enough."

"Okay, let me try again…" Naruto works his hands through the seals as he takes time to gathers and makes chakra as tight as he can. "Wind Style: Smoke Dome!" Dark purple smoke envelopes him and solidifies.

Asuma raps on the barrier and grins. "You did it! And it feels pretty solid too. If you put more chakra into it, it'll become hard as steel."

Naruto releases the jutsu and his smile takes up half his face. "Yes!" He pumps his fists and does a happy dance that reminds Asuma of when Naruto was little. Naruto just has to practice it some more so it takes less time to gather and manipulate the chakra like he needs too.

"Just remember that the barrier is weak against fire." Asuma lectures. "It will regenerate itself but that takes time."

"Yes Oniisan." Naruto nods. He really needs to figure out the water style. That will be the most useful when he and Sasuke eventually fight. The bastard is always saying that he was going to "put him down," and it's only gotten worse since the mission to Wave. Sasuke claims that it's the Uchiha clan's duty to put the demon fox down because they are the only ones that can control it. At least according to his Dad. He thinks Naruto using Kurama's chakra is a sign that his time to protect the village is coming. Naruto just wishes he would stop talking about what he doesn't know about.

"I met with your mother today." Asuma hedges.

"You mean my incubator…" he mutters, he doesn't really like to think about her that way, it confuses his heart too much. "What did she want?"

"A progress report on all of the genin." Asuma grabs Naruto's shoulder and guides him towards the village. "She also asked me somethings about you."

The butterflies in Naruto's stomach stir. "What did she want to know?"

He takes a drag on his cigarette. "Everything about you." Naruto's surprise at his mother cares pains his heart. "At first she asked about your abilities—which I didn't expand upon—then she asked about why I thought you don't want to take the Senju name. Then she asked about what you were like as a child."

The blonde's cheeks burn crimson and Asuma takes glee in that. "I told her about how you used to run around naked after taking a bath because you didn't want to get dressed."

Horror fills Naruto's face and Asuma laughs. "How could you?!"

"I promised to look through my mother's old things for baby pictures!" The burnet is roaring with laughter.

"Don't you dare!" Naruto slugs him on the arm. "Those pictures are embarrassing!"

The man wrestles the boy around and puts him in a headlock. "I'll think about not giving them to her, but I want something in return." Asuma knows he is pushing things a little, but he knows it's in Naruto's best interest.

"What is it?" Naruto struggles to escape.

"Let the Hokage help with your training. We spoke and I know she wants to." Asuma lets Naruto go and the boy gives him a look of betrayal. "I don't believe that she has any ill will towards you."

"She threw me away the day I was born…" Pain laced Naruto's voice.

"And I left you when my mother died." Asuma lets his smoke fall to the ground and he puts it out with his foot. "You don't know why she left, and before you do, you can't assume you know why she left."

Naruto looks down at his feet and tries to ignore Kurama in his head agreeing with Asuma. He knew it was kind of the same but it didn't feel the same. Maybe he should listen and let her help. He already admitted he needed help earlier and there wasn't anyone else in the village that wanted to teach him. "I'll think about it."

"Good." Asuma clasps him on the back. "Now we need to go to the hospital."

"What?!" Naruto jumps. "Why?"

"The Hokage has agreed to look over your seal for me," Asuma explains, pushing the boy along.

"I told you I don't need anyone to look at it." Naruto argues. He doesn't like it when people look at his seal. It makes him feel like an object instead of a human being. "It's fine. I looked it over myself. Don't you trust me?"

Asuma stops him and turns him to face each other. "Of course I trust you. I just worry." He ruffles Naruto's hair. "Humor me."

"Fine…" Naruto huffs off towards the hospital and Asuma watches him go with a smirk on his face. He is too stubborn sometimes.

* * *

Naruto pushes the door open and takes a deep breath, but he doesn't need his nose to tell him where to go. The incubator is here and she's mad. So mad, that the anger directed at him can't even drown it out. His senses lead him up the stairs to the third floor, down serval hallways until he sees her standing in front of the nurses' station.

"This is unacceptable," she growls. "All of this documentation is sloppy! I don't even see orders for anesthetic!"

"Lady Hokage…" The doctor mutters confused. "It's not human—" Naruto feels the rage burst and Tsunade reaches across the counter and slams his head against the granite. He has heard this argument before but it seems she hasn't.

"Not human! He's a twelve-year-old boy!" She almost screams. "If I ever hear such nonsense again you will be dead before you feel the kunai logged in your spine!"

Naruto's a storm of emotion that rises up and engulfs him. He doesn't know what to do as she screams death threats at the hospital workers. "I told you she loves you." Kurama huffs. "You should have seen her when she was pregnant with you."

Ignoring the fox again, Naruto pokes the incubator in her back. She spins around, looking ready to breath fire, but he moment she sees him all the negative emotions radiating off of her vanish. In their place, tenderness fills her features and something that almost looks like love. Not that he has a lot of experience having that emotion directed at him. It makes him want to fall into her arms and seek comfort in her smell. He wants her to kiss his forehead and tell him everything is going to be okay.

"Oniisan said he wants you to check on my seal." Naruto tenses his muscles to prevent himself from leaning into her; something about her smell. She nods her head and gives one final glare to the staff before leading him into a room.

"I was wondering if I could do a physical after I check the seal." Tsunade asks as she opens his medical file to look over somethings.

Naruto wants to say no. If there's something wrong with him Kurama would have already told him. "That not necessary; I'm healthy."

The incubator hums and her eyes try to convey something to him. "I would like to check anyways."

Naruto tries to think of a way out of it when Kurama chimes in. "She's not going to back down from this. Saying yes now will save you time later."

Weighing his options, Naruto decides that Kurama's correct and he grumbles an affirmative before he shrugs off his jacket and pulls off his shirt. "Fine…"

"Lay down on the table, please." He thinks she's trying to be reassuring with her smile but her efforts are in vain because his heart just beats faster.

The paper crinkles under him as his lays down. He molds his chakra so the seal is visible. The incubator leans over him as she studies the seal. Her eyebrow knit together and her fingers skim the eight access points Kurama has to his chakra network. "Your chakra must be very heavy with the Kyuubi's chakra always flowing through it…" she mutters and hazel eyes met his.

Naruto's heart slows a little at her understanding. No one else had realized that before. Channeling chakra so heavy is so hard when his not sure how it should flow. "It makes learning everything harder." His cheeks burn because he knows that she's read that he was dead last in the academy, and he gets an overwhelming urge to prove that he isn't stupid. "I can never get it to flow naturally into jutsu so I have to force it and if I don't know how it's supposed to feel it takes me a while to get it."

She brushes his hair out of his face and his blush deepens. "Mito baachan and Kushina were the same," she mutters. "They were lucky enough to have experience forming and manipulating chakra without the fox's influence, though. You don't."

Naruto adverts his eyes in embarrassment and shame. His heart beat picks up again and his palms are sweating. Kurama is pestering him to ask her questions and his own desires are begging him too. The last thing he wants is for her to think what everyone else thinks. "It's why I can't heal the stupid fish. I can't get the chakra light enough and I just seem to fry it." He knows his shame is apparent and he wishes he could hide it better. This is exactly how he doesn't want her to see him. He's breathing becomes ragged and his chest hurts. Now she must think he's stupid and useless as everyone else—

His thoughts are interrupted when she pulls up and into her arms. On instinct, he buries his face into her neck and breaths in the sweet smell of home. She whispers in his ear but he can't hear the words because all he can think about is how tightly she's holding him and how he needs her arms around him to keep him together.

The first thing he hears as he's calming down is her heartbeat and it floods him with relief. At this moment at least, he's not alone. Not that he's ever alone but being with Tsunade feels different. Different in a way he can't explain but it's nice.

It's only now that he realizes that he's been clinging to her like a pathetic baby. She's whisper that every things going to be okay now and that she loves him. The feelings are too much for him to process so he pulls back and scoots away and she lets him go, which hurts him and he doesn't know why.

"You wanted to do a physical, right?" Naruto refuses to look her in the eyes. He just lays back and lets her run her chakra covered hands over him.

He can feel rage and despair inside of her and it shocks him a little that it's not directed at him. These emotions are usually directed at him when he's in the room. Everyone seems to blame him for everything that went wrong with their lives. Ever since Obaasan died, it's been rare that these emotions where directed at someone else on his behalf.

They are almost done with the examination when Tsunade speaks. "Mito baachan told me once that the Kyuubi has incredible healing capabilities but it is dangerous when exposed anyone other than the host…" She smiles morosely. "Maybe you can find a way to filter that chakra so when you pump it into someone else, it will heal them too."

Naruto blinks owlishly. He never thought of that. If he did that, it might not matter how heavy the chakra is because it would force cells to generate. "I'll have to practice that." He licks his lips and looks away. "But using that chakra will only make the village hate me even more…"

"Why do you say that?" Her fingers are in his hair again, and he leans into them.

"Some of the ninja," Kurama growls Sasuke's name. "Say that by using the chakra, I'm threatening to release the Kyuubi and that they will 'put me down.'" Tsunade's emotions spike and even though the rage isn't directed at him, he can't help but cower.

"Tell me their names," she growls, "and I will make it very clear to them, what I'm going to do to them if they even think about touch a hair on your head!" Her eyes are boring into his and he has absolutely no idea what to do. She doesn't look like she'll take "I can't remember" for an answer and there is no way in hell he was going to give names; not when she has this much rage inside of her.

He feels his Adam's apple bobble in his throat when he swallows and he's pretty sure she heard it. It takes all of the courage in his body but he finally finds his voice. "I'm not telling." The last thing he want is to be responsible for more death. It's one thing to kill in self-defense or for the village, but it's another to kill because threats are made. Plus, the village would just hate him more.

The rage dissipates and is replace by bewilderment. Her mouth opens and closes several times and it looks like she's struggling to find her own voice. "What do you mean, I'm not telling?"

"They will just hate me and resent me more if they think I have the Hokage fighting my battles for me." His voice is stronger than before, but not as strong as he would like.

She takes several deep breaths and the tension in the room is now breathable. "I'm not going to force you to tell me." The strain in her voice tells him that it's killing her to let the words out. "But I will find out eventually, and when I do…" She trails off and her fingers are moving in his hair again.

He sits up, causing her hand to fall away and his face is as red as a cherry. He plays with the hem of her shirt as the words slip out, "okay." She kisses his forehead and he leans into it. It's only when he realizes how childish he's being that he scolds himself and pulls away. Her stupid smell makes him do things he wouldn't normally do. "I better go… I've been training all day…" he mutters as his stomach growls.

She cups his cheek and lifts his eyes to hers. "Do you want to go get dinner?"

He tries to find any trace of deceit or ill intention in her expression but he finds none, but he can't make himself say yes. "Maybe some other time."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** In can you didn't catch the note when I re-uploaded chapter 7:It was brought to my attention that Naruto was coming off as immature and childish at times. I have gone back and tried to rectify this. I changed the pool scene and the one where Naruto climbs into bed with Tsunade, if you guys what to go back and read it. If you are new to the story, please comment and tell me if I succeeded. Naruto being the jinchuuriki is going to be common knowledge. Everyone would know that the whisker marks on his face are a sign of the nine-tails and would give him away.

I also changed the ending of the last chapter so that they don't go to dinner together.

 **Chapter 8**

Naruto waits at the designated training grounds for the rest of his team. He breathes in and mindfully tries to internally filter Kurama's chakra. He's close to being able to take out all of the power boosting properties in the pure chakra, seeing as the power boost come at the cost of ripping apart the cells which the chakra heals just as fast if not faster. At least that's how it works for him. Everyone else isn't used to the foreign chakra razing through their network so the destructive power runs faster than the healing.

It's been almost a week since the hospital incident with the Old Hag and he has been avoiding her ever since. Kakashi has also been looking for him. He's successful avoided both of them but he can't avoid the cyclops any longer. Team Seven is officially back on duty and expected to start training and taking missions again.

When Kakashi gets close enough, he smells the change in the air but doesn't acknowledge it. For once in his life, Kakashi is early. So early in fact that he beat both Sasuke and Sakura to the training grounds.

He can feel the cyclops' eye on him and he can't help but wiggle uncomfortably at his words. "You're here early."

"I could say the same thing about you," Naruto mutters, opening his eyes. Kakashi probably already knows that he's been training with Guy-sensei in the mornings and doesn't feel the need to go over it.

They stare at each other for several minutes before Kakashi decides to be the adult and break the silence. "You've been avoiding me Naruto."

"I've been busy." Naruto huffs, on high alert. Kakashi has never care enough to come looking for him before, and he's not sure what's changed now.

When Naruto doesn't offer anything more up, Kakashi prods a little. "I heard you've been training with Asuma and Guy."

"Yep." Naruto can feel the sweat start to form on his back and hands. This is probably where he was either going to get beat up or threatened. That's what usually happens

"You should tell your Mother if he does." Kurama growls

"That could get him killed." Naruto rubs his neck. "She has a temper." Even though he's been avoiding her, he has heard tales of her beating up shinobi and threating villagers that speak out against him. He knows he should probably be grateful, but he worries that this will cause the villagers to react poorly.

"Maybe he should die…" Kurama pulls Naruto closer to his body like he was trying to protect the boy from the world.

Kakashi's temper flares a little seeing how Naruto's distracted already. "Why haven't you come to me for training?"

Naruto snaps out of his conversation with Kurama and stares up at Kakashi incredulous. "Every time I asked, you were busy training Sasuke."

Slapped with the truth, Kakashi thinks back to ever time that he's push both Naruto's and Sakura's training to the side to help Sasuke. He hadn't realized he was going it. He just wanted to spend time with the last living connection to his old team he has. "After team training today, I have some time. We can train together one on one."

Naruto tries to fight his disinterest but it's a losing battle. "I have plans for after training."

"What plans?" Kakashi asks, surprised Naruto isn't jumping at his offer.

"Asuma Oniisan is going to show me something." Naruto hates the interest he's showing.

Something that feels an awful lot like jealously fills Kakashi. Naruto is his student. He should be the one training him. The one Naruto should want to be trained by. At the same time, it's his own fault. If he had been willing to train Naruto like he should have from the beginning, he wouldn't be seeking another teacher. "Maybe we can get dinner tonight then?"

"Sorry," Naruto mutters, faking a smile. He really doesn't want to spend any more time with Kakashi then necessary.

Kakashi kicks a rock away as he watches Sasuke and Sakura walking up to the training grounds. He needs to put more effort in training Sakura too. Maybe he can train her today and Naruto tomorrow after the mission. "Tomorrow, then?"

"I don't think so Kakashi." Naruto stands up and stretches, keeping his eyes on his two teammates. He finds it best to always be aware of where the people are that openly hate him.

"Dobe, sensei." Sasuke glares at Naruto and nods to Kakashi.

"Kakashi sensei." Sakura just ignores him and honestly he doesn't care. He only has to be with this team for another five months. Then he can make Chunin and get separate missions. He's still kicking himself for holding back with Neji in the third test. He was trying to conserve chakra and thought fighting him in a taijutsu match while using Kurama's chakra to keep his tenketsu from closing would be a good way to show how he can strategize. The look on Neji's face was priceless as his attacks were rendered useless. He images that he'll have to watch out for the Hyūgas for a while.

"Today we're going to do something a little different." Kakashi gives them an eye smile. "Sakura, you need to work on your stamina and taijutsu. I have recommended you to the medical ninja core which you will be going to after training today." Sakura's smile fills her face and she looks to Sasuke looking for validation which he doesn't give her. "Sasuke, you have a choice. You can either learn another lightening style jutsu today, or a fire."

Sasuke is confident that he can find all the fire style jutsu he'll need in the Uchiha libraries. "Lightening."

Kakashi nods and turns to Naruto. "I thought today we could learn what affinity you have today Naruto." Kakashi is hopeful to get the boy excited. He really should have done this before the Chunin Exams but he was too single minded.

"I already know my affinity already." Naruto is already prepared for the looks of mistrust that Sasuke and Sakura direct at him and he could have sensed the disappointment from Kakashi from a mile away.

"Well," he starts, not prepared for that answer. "If you tell we what it is I can help you learn some jutsu for it."

"Oniisan is helping me with it." Naruto rubs his neck. "I can help Sakura practice her taijutsu, though."

"You don't have a brother, dumb ass." Sakura yells before Kakashi can open his mouth. "Monsters don't have families."

Kakashi sighs and glares at his two students that are glaring at his blonde one. "I think we've had just about enough of talk like that. You guys are teammates and it not just enough to act like teammates during a fight. You guys need to have each other's backs in all aspects of life. Naruto has saved both of your lives just like Sasuke's saved Naruto's." Kakashi looks the three down and it's only Sasuke that looks like he's not taking him seriously. He will have to keep an eye on him "Let's get started."

* * *

Tsunade would rather be burned alive then spend another week like she has. After what she felt was an emotional break through with her beautiful little boy, they seem to have taken several steps back. She hasn't seen him in almost a week and she is reaching her breaking point.

Shizune keeps telling her to give Naruto time; that he's not used to having a mother that cares for him and that he's just trying to process it. Her patience is wearing thin though and would have been gone after the first day if she didn't have Asuma around reporting back to her that he's safe and healthy.

The Sarutobi keeps telling her that Naruto's never been very good with his emotions, that he tends to run from them whenever they come up. That only makes her want to hold him closer and never let him go. In fact, she's decided that if she doesn't see him at Ichiraku's tonight, she's not going to rest until she has him in her arms.

Signing the last document for the day, Tsunade puts it in her out box. She grabs her green jacket and storms out of her office. "Lady Hokage!" Shizune gather some papers in her hands and follows the older blonde. "Have you finished your paper work?"

"I have." Tsunade snaps, not appreciating being questioned. She knows that in the past she hasn't exactly been known for being responsible, but ever since Naruto has come back into her life she's stepped up to the plate.

"Where are you going?" Shizune stops, knowing that she is not welcomed to follow.

"To see Naruto!" She grits out. Her beautiful little brat is done hiding and she will break every wall and every door until she finds him. Hiding from her in unacceptable and it will not be happening again, ever.

* * *

After training with Asuma that night. Naruto goes to eat at his favorite ramen shop. Thinking about his wallet, Naruto is glad that he met Teuchi and Ayame all those years ago. They understand that sometimes he runs out of money because he has to buy clothes and stuff. The stupid demon tax breaks his bank faster than anything else. When that happens, they let him wash dishes for his dinner. He would have starved long ago it not for them.

When he smells _her_ perfume in the breeze he sides steps into the alley, not that she probably doesn't already know he's heading in her direction. He can't believe she's waiting here for him again. He's officially out of all the food in his pantry and he can't buy more until after the mission tomorrow. He bangs his head against the brick and tries to think of what to do. Oniisan would be willing to feed him but he's on a date with Kurenai tonight and he wouldn't feel right just breaking into his apartment.

He can't exactly go home. She will just show up there later like she did yesterday. He had to sneak out the back because he hated hearing her beg him to let him in. Luckily, he had mastered hiding his chakra signature years ago, it was one of the first things Obaasan taught him. He could go and sleep in his clearing again but there's a chance his Oniisan told her about it. He doesn't exactly approve of how Naruto is approaching the situation.

Naruto isn't really sure how else he can approach it though. Usually he would just try to push through and ignore his feelings but he can't seem to in this situation. "Just walk out there, Naruto." Kurama doesn't even bother to open his eyes. "What's the worst that can happen?"

"I don't know, and that's exactly the problem." Naruto huffs. "She doesn't react how I expect her too. Usually people are glad when they go days without seeing me but she just comes looking. I don't understand why she wants to see me."

"For the same reason as Biwako and Asuma." He grumbles. "She cares about you."

"Maybe…" Naruto has been leaning more to that side after this past week. "What do you think she'll say if I go out."

"If it were me I would knock some sense into you." Kurama swats him with his tail. "Thinking you could avoid me for so long…"

"A weeks not that long…" Naruto sighs. "I just don't know what to say to her." Kurama just grumbles about silly humans and goes back to sleep.

He can smell her moving closer to him. She's probably sensed him. He has a choice now. Either he can run or stay and wait for her to find him. He blows the hair out of his eyes and waits. It's not long before she's standing at the entrance to the alley and he glances over at her. She's standing there and she seems relieved to see him. She looks just the same as always but her eyes look pained. Despite knowing better, he hopes he didn't put that look in her eyes.

"Hi." It's the only thing he can think of to say because he can't talk the silence between them.

It seems to break her out of her revere and she rushes him, causing him to tense. Thankfully she stops before she grabs him with her arms out stretched, like she wants to hold him. He thinks he should probably give her a hug or something. He thinks that's what you're supposed to do when you apologize. It's what he would do with his Obaasan. "Are you okay? I haven't see you for a while and I was worried…"

"I'm sorry…" Naruto starts. "I was sure how too…" Breaks off, not sure how to end the sentence.

"Just don't do it again, okay?" She sounds like her hearts been ripped out of her chest and that hurts Naruto.

"I'll try…" He pushes off the wall so he's standing right in front of her. "I'm sorry." Tentatively he reaches out and that's all Tsunade needs before she wraps him in her arms. She's running her fingers through his hair and he buries his nose in her neck.

"I missed you so much." She whispers into his ear.

She hugs him for longer then he's comfortable with, but he figures he owes her a little. She only pulls away when she hears his stomach grumble. She laughs a little and cups his cheek. "Let's go get you some Ramen, yeah?"

Naruto rubs the back of his neck. "I'd like that…"

Tsunade grabs his arm and pulls him back into the streets and towards the stand. "You are much too thin." She glares at him a little. "You need to start eating more, Naruto."

A little defensive, Naruto bites back. "I do the best I can."

"It wasn't a criticism." Her look softens and Naruto feels a little bad. "I just worry about you."

Naruto doesn't know what to say as they enter the ramen stand. She seems to be telling the truth and it doesn't feel as weird as he thinks it should.

They sit at the counter and Teuchi takes their orders. Naruto taps his finger against the counter. It's making him very nervous how she's just staring at him, like she's trying to memorize his face. He racks his brain, trying to think of what to say. "So, um… how have you been…"

Tsunade hums and stills his fingers with her hand. "Not too good. My favorite blonde has been avoiding me all week."

"Sorry about that…" He should have seen that coming with how she reacted in the alley.

She hums again. "How has your training been going?"

"Asuma is a big help." He keeps his voice low so no one else can hear him. "I mastered one of the jutsus he taught me…" He figures she already knows about the wind chakra, even though she hasn't said anything, so that doesn't give too much away.

"I'm proud of you." Tsunade smiles and it lifts Naruto's heart.

"Thanks…" Naruto bows his head to hide his blush.

The silence returns when they are handed their food. As soon as he's finished the first bowl another is placed in front of him. Even after going through several bowls Tsunade hasn't made a comment on how much he's eating. Usually by now, people are complaining that he's a glutton and needs to stop. It's bothering him that she's not saying anything so much that he turns to her. "Why haven't you said anything about me eating too much? By now, most people have…"

Tsunade just smiles and resists the urge to run her fingers through his hair. It's a feeling she's become quite addicted to. That and holding him close with his face pressed against her neck. "I know how much chakra it takes to keep the seal working. You need all the calories you can get."

"Yeah…" Naruto stands up and Tsunade moves to follow him. "No one seems to understand that." Tsunade is afraid the evening is coming to a close when, instead of leaving the shop, he moves to walk around the counter.

"Where are you going, Naruto?" Tsunade is confused, which causes her little boy to blush a cute pink again.

"When I don't have money to pay, the Old Man lets me do the dishes for food." Naruto won't look at her and Teuchi turns around.

"Naruto will never go hungry as long as I'm around." His hands clasps Naruto's shoulder as he smiles at the boy. "If only he would learn to take the food for free. I keep telling him the village hero shouldn't have to pay."

Tsunade reaches into her pocket and pulls out her wallet. "Well I can pay for his food from now on." She takes several bills out and places them on the bar. "That should be enough for today. Can I set up a tab for when Naruto comes here without me?"

"You don't have to do that." Naruto exclaims, conflicted that she would do this for him.

"I want too." Tsunade leaves no room for arguing as she fills out the paper Teuchi gives her. She will have to find a way to thank this man and his daughter for helping her little boy over the years. It makes her feel better knowing that the times he went hungry were probably not as often as her mind imagined. She looks up and her baby looks so confused. Eventually she hopes he realizes that she will do anything for him. "Let me walk you home."

Naruto hesitates before answering. "Okay."

Together they walk down the streets towards his apartment. "I heard you had a team training today. How did that go?"

"It was okay…" Naruto looks up at the stars. "Kakashi asked me more questions and showed more interest in me today the he ever has before. It was kind of weird."

"I might have lectured him a little," Tsunade admits with no shame. "He was very upset that both Asuma and Guy know more about your abilities then he does."

Naruto looks down at the ground. "It's not like he's cared in the past. Every time we are out on a mission I set up a perimeter with seal. He's just never taken the time to notice…"

"I think he'll be paying more attention from now on." Tsunade hums.

"Even if he does, I don't want his help." Naruto eyes narrow.

"That's understandable." Tsunade agrees. "Asuma says that he can't help you reach your full potential though. You going to have to get help from someone."

"Yeah…" Naruto glances over at her. "Maybe you can help sometime." Tsunade's heart is soaring and she struggles to keep composed. "I'm not ready for that yet but… I will be eventually."

"I'll wait as long as you need me too." Tsunade walks him the rest of the way home. The silence is killing Tsunade. This past week was emotionally unbearable and she doesn't think she'll survive another. She walks him up the steps to his door and they just stand there. Part of her is afraid that if she leaves she won't see him again.

"We're going to get dinner tomorrow." Tsunade doesn't give him room to argue and when he adverts his eyes she lifts his chin so she can look in to his baby blues. "Tomorrow at 6:30, okay?"

"We're getting a mission tomorrow. I'm not sure when we'll be done." Naruto mutters.

"Don't worry." Tsunade mentally goes over all the available missions for the next day. "You will be done in time."

 **A/N:** Just a reminder guys, that I'm looking for a beta. Please review, it makes me happy!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The next day, Naruto gets up early and heads over to the Hokage's office after getting some ramen. He figured last night he should probably apologize to Shizune too. Avoiding the incubator meant avoiding her too and he felt bad about that.

He has noticed this past week that the whispering around the village in his wake has changed slightly. Now, in addition to the normal name calling and threats, they're muttering about how the Hokage is defensive of him and what that means. Most of the speculations are way off and some of them make him a little sick. He's pretty sure if the incubator finds out there will be hell to pay.

His eyes are drawn to a family he sees in the market. The father his holding his little boy on his hip while the mother wipes syrup off of his face. They are laughing together and the father gives the mother a little kiss on the side of her head. A picture perfect family. It makes him wonders. Maybe if his sperm donor hadn't died and his incubator hadn't left if they would have been like that. Probably not, as his life never goes that way, but it's nice to think about.

Naruto ghosts into the tower and takes a deep breath. Nerves crawl under his skin, making him itch his cheek. He lets out the breath he seems to be holding when he sees black haired medic walking down to the second floor from the third. Naruto hurries and meets her just as she's stepping onto the landing between the two floors. She has a huge stack of papers that she's balancing in her arms, blocking her eyes, and struggles to keep them all from falling over. She seems to be struggling a little and he smiles at his opportunity.

"Can I help you?" Shizune jumps in surprise and the tower of papers careen towards the floor. Naruto reaches out and steadies it as Shizune peeks out from behind.

"Naruto?" Her look of pure joy makes him feel guilty and he takes half the stack.

"Hi." She seems to be standing there in shock and he shifts from one foot to the other in discomfort.

"Where have you been?" Her eyebrows draw together and he knows that if her hands were free they'd be on her hips.

"Avoiding Granny." Naruto admit as they start walking down the stairs.

Shizune presses her lips together and bumps him with her hips. "She's been worried about you. You better go see she right away."

"I saw her last night… she was upset…" He places the papers down on the table next to Shizune's, his shoulders slumped.

"She hasn't sleep all week and she kept asking me if you stopped by."

"It won't happen again." Naruto promises, looking up at her. "We're having dinner tonight. Do you want to come?" Naruto's fears that she'll reject him are quickly put to rest when Shizune nods her head emphatically.

"Of course!" Shizune clutches some papers to her chest. "I have to get back to work, but I'll see you tonight, alright?"

Naruto nods his head and watches her leave. Maybe having her there would help his nerves. Probably not. Naruto walks down the halls and decides to wait outside the briefing room for the rest of his team. 

* * *

Naruto's team shows up too soon for his liking. Sasuke gives him his usual glare but Sakura's isn't as hateful as usual. He stays sitting against the wall, sketching out a seal he's trying to design. He knows all of the symbols he needs to temporarily seal someone's doujutsu, but he's not quite sure how to weave the chakra in the seal. He also has to figure out how to place a seal by touch. A piece of paper would easily be torn off and there is no way Sasuke will stay still long enough for him to draw one on him.

When he smells Kakashi enter the building he puts the notebook away. The chances of Kakashi disapproving of what he's doing is high. After all, Sasuke is his prized pupil and devising a way to take him down probably isn't something he would approve. Naruto stands up and stretches. He has prepared himself for what will probably be a D rank mission, as it's the only way the Hokage can ensure that he is finished by dinner.

Together team walks into the briefing room. Tsunade's eyes flick over everyone before they rank over Naruto. He squirms a little, still not comfortable with her concern for his safety. "Team Seven, today your mission is to transport and inventory crops from the Tanaka farm to the village storehouse. According to the request, you are to pick up 200 crates." Tsunade grabs two scrolls and tosses them to Kakashi. "The payment is in there. We usually receive a much higher shipment and we need you to ask about that. It should take no longer then a day."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." The team agrees as they take the scrolls and leave. Naruto looks back and give the older blonde a timid smile which she returns. 

* * *

It takes the team about thirty minutes to get to the farm and old man Tanaka leads them to the barn as he opens the scroll. "This amount will not do, Kakashi." He looks at the silver haired ninja in concern. "This is a tenth of what the produce is worth. Where's the rest of the money?"

"This is the amount the Hokage approved of for 200 crates of food." Kakashi explains, not looking forward to arguing with the man.

"200 crates?" Tanaka throws the doors open. "The request was for 2000." The barn is full to the brim with crates and Naruto looks at work in dread. There is no way that they are going to get done by the end of the day. His heart start hurting at the thought of disappoint both medics again. Plus, he made a promise and he never goes back on his word.

"There must have been a clerical error. We'll have to get permission from the Hokage for the increase." Kakashi mutters looking at the crates in dread. "I'll go—"

"I have an idea." Naruto starts, pulling out a piece of paper from his notebook and handing it to Kakashi. "Write a note to the Old Lady explaining everything." Naruto flashes through hand signs before biting his thumb. There's a small poof of smoke and then an orange toad pops up. "We can have Gamakichi deliver it to her and bring back the increased funds."

"Good idea, Naruto." Kakashi smirks as Sasuke and Sakura grumbling. "Do you have any ideas about how to deliver all these supplies?"

"Well." Naruto glances at Sakura and Sasuke before resigning himself. "I figure I can create gravity seals to make the crates lighter. Then, instead of carrying 75 crates on a cart, we can carry about 330 on a cart."

"So 6 trips, about 6 hours give or take." Kakashi takes in the new information. He'll have to work harder to figure out just for advanced the boy's fūinjutsu is. "Plus however long it takes you to finish all the seals."

"It takes me about 5 minutes to finish one and can use 25 shadow clones to get three hundred done in an hour. I've also been working on shadow cloning objects and I think I can pull off creating two more cart, so we'll need 990 seals." Naruto rubs the back of his head, they can just reuse the old ones once they finish a trip. "I'll take me like 3 hours to finish all the seals, which you guys can take inventory in that time. We should be done by 4."

Kakashi eyebrows raise, surprised at his student. "You can clone the carts?"

"I think so, I'll just take a lot of concentration and chakra." Naruto confirms.

"Like the dobe can pull this off." Sasuke disdain radiates off him. "We need another plan."

"Yeah. Sasuke-kun is right." Sakura agree emphatically. "Naruto can't pull this off."

Kakashi gives his students the side eye as he writes his note to the Hokage. He's going to have to work really hard to fix his team. If only he had done something in the first place but he had honestly thought that once they started working together and got to know one another that everything would work itself out. "I think we should give it a try."

"What am I supposed to do?" Gamakichi looking up at Naruto.

Naruto takes the scroll of Gamakichi. "Can you give this to the Hokage for me?" He swats down and offers the scroll. "Then bring back the scroll she'll give you?"

Gamakichi considers the request and then smiles. "Only if you give me treats after."

Naruto glares back. It always came down to treats with this one. He never thought of anything else. "It'll have to wait until after the mission, but I'll get you some treats."

"Deal." Gamakichi grabs the scroll and hops off.

Naruto smiles and looks over at his teammates. "Time to get started." He brings his hands together and twenty-four copies of Naruto pop. Completely in sync, all of the blondes sit down and pull out pieces of paper and ink.

Kakashi smiles down at his blonde student and then at the other two. "Now the question is, how are we going to get the inventory done in three hours?"

"Shadow clones, of course." Sasuke mutters looking at Naruto. He can't believe the village demon knows fūinjutsu. It takes years to learn and that's with a teacher. Naruto has to be doing it alone because no sane shinobi would teach the demon such an important skills.

"I can make two shadow clones." Sakura volunteers.

"Three from me." Sasuke glares in jealousy towards the dobe.

"And I'll make five." Kakashi confirms, forming the hand seals and several copies of him poof into existence. "By the time Naruto gets done with the seals, we should have about twelve hundred done. Then Naruto, Sasuke, and I can start transferring the crates while Sakura finishes the count with the shadow clones."

"Hai, Kakashi-sensei." Sasuke and Sakura agree, forming their own shadow clones and getting to work.

An hour later, Gamakichi hops back and lands on Naruto's head. He drops two scrolls and settles himself in Naruto's hair. "The Hokage gave those to me, to give to you. The bigger one has the money and the smaller one is for you."

"Thanks." Naruto stands up and walks over to the barn. "Granny sent more money with Gamakichi." The blonde looks at Kakashi, who nods, and Naruto throws the scroll to Tanaka.

"She's also extending the mission to three days instead of one." Gamakichi interjects, looking at all the clones. "But I don't think that's going to be necessary."

"Yeah," Naruto agrees, going back to where he was sitting before. "We'll get this done today." Once on the ground, he pulls out the letter his incubator sent him.

 _Sweetheart,_

 _I realize with you mission being extended you won't be able to make dinner tonight, so we can move it for after your mission is over. I also wanted to thank you for inviting Shizune. It means a lot to her. Stay safe._

 _Love you baby_

Naruto runs his fingers over the letters. Warmth fills his chest and he grins. He made a promise to her that they would have dinner tonight and he never goes back on his word. He slips the scroll into his pack and sits back down before going back to creating the seals. 

* * *

Tsunade head falls down with a thud against her paperwork. Her sense of urgency to complete it has waned since learning that Naruto isn't going to make it to dinner. The whole reason she chose that mission for him was so that he would be home for dinner. If she knew it was going to be expanded by a couple of days, she never would have given it to him. She doesn't think that it's too much to ask just to have her little boy close to her all the times after being apart for so long.

She's broken from her thoughts when Shizune knocks on her door before poking her head in. "Kakashi is here to report on the mission."

Tsunade perks up when she hears this. Maybe they were able to finish the mission today after all and she's about to see her favorite blonde. Her heart speeds up when the doors creak open. When her eyes fail to find her baby she deflates. The silver haired ninja slouches in with his hands in his pockets.

"Mission complete, Hokage-sama." Kakashi hands over the scroll with the inventory.

"I was expecting this to take until at least tomorrow." Tsunade mutters as she looks over the scroll.

"It's all because of Naruto." Kakashi smirks. "He created some gravity seals to make the crates lighter with shadow clones and a shadow clone technique to make two extra carts. He was very determined to get it done today."

"Shadow clone technique? On the carts?" Tsunade smiles. "It seems he's mastered the cloning technique."

"To an impressive degree." Kakashi affirms. "I can't even clone anything bigger than kuni."

Tsunade hums and looks out the window towards her little boy's apartment. "Where is he now?"

"I sent all three of them home." Kakashi explains. "They are all tired from today. Naruto looks dead on his feet."

Her heart clenches at the thought of her child all alone. "That will be all." Tsunade dismisses him and attacks her paperwork with new gusto. As soon as she finishes she's going to go pick up the food in the crock pot and take it to her son. She's not going to take no for an answer. She will make him let her into his apartment, even if she has to break down the door.

For the next half hour, Tsunade flies through her paperwork. She knows she has to be responsible and finish everything before she can go to her baby, but she hates every minute of it. In her minds eyes, she can see him passed out in the entryway of his apartment, too tired to make it to the couch or bed. He's probably starving to death because he doesn't have the energy to get any food.

The rational part of her brain knows she's overreacting but the motherly part worries nonetheless. Just like the day before, when she finishes the last form she puts it in the out box, grabs her jacket, and then throws open the door, only to stop dead in her tracks. Her little boy is curled up on one of the waiting room couch with drool dripping down his cheek. He worked much too hard today

She tiptoes closer and kneels down next to him. Shizune comes up behind her and whispers, "He showed up about ten minutes ago asking if I had any treats he could give Gamakichi."

Tsunade wipes the drool away. "Why didn't you tell me he was here?" She runs her fingers through his hair. She's fallen in love with her the coarse blonde strands feel against her skin.

"He asked me not to." Shizune switches her weight from foot to foot. "That he was early for dinner and could wait."

"Next time, tell me." Tsunade whispers, her thumb stroking his whiskered cheeks.

Naruto purrs and his eyes crack open. "Are you ready for dinner?" His eyes squeeze shut again and moans.

"Headache, baby?" She performs a healing jutsu and places her glowing hand on his forehead.

"Yes." He breathes. At the touch the pain starts to receded and he nuzzles into the relief.

Tsunade's smile grows as she watches her precious baby. "You used too many shadow clones. Creating seal requires a lot of concentration and while shadow clones are useful to get things done, using too much in this way can cause migraines and mental exhaustion."

Normally, Naruto would get defensive, thinking that she was scolding him but the tone of her voice just makes him want to sleep. "I know. Usually I try to limit how many clones I use at once for training and stuff, but…"

Tsunade hums her agreement, before muttering to him. "Kakashi told me about the mission. You were very impressive."

Naruto tries to hide a smile. "It was the only way I was going to make it to dinner."

"We could have rescheduled." She takes his headband off so she can brush his hair back easier. "I would have understood."

Naruto's eyes flutter shut. "I never go back on my word."

Tsunade kisses his forehead. "Can I carry you home? We can feed you."

"I can walk." Naruto hauls himself into a sitting position and stretches his back. His eyes barely open when he stands.

Shizune stifles a giggle. "What do you want to eat, Naruto?" Hopefully he'll like what she has in the crock pot.

"I don't care…" Naruto yawns as Tsunade guides him down the halls with her hand on his back

He practically sleep-walks as he drags his feet and his stomach aches. Kurama told him to eat before he came but he was afraid that he would fall asleep as soon as his stomach was full. Then he would have missed their dinner and he would have made her sad again.

For some reason, that's that last thing he wants to do. Not that he usually makes a habit of hurting people. Usually the pain he causes is unintentional. For most, it's just his presence and there isn't much he can do about that besides leaving them alone. This is different though, because she hurts when he's not around. He doesn't want her to hurt and he hasn't felt this way about another person in a long time.

Granny opens the doors to what he assumes is the Hokage apartments and he follows her inside. The smell of food makes his stomach roar to life and his eyes shoot open. "That smells good…"

"I made saba shioyaki, nikujaga, sunomono, miso soup and genmai in the crock pots after I heard you wouldn't be joining us." Tsunade explains as she hurries to make him a plate as he falls into a chair at the table.

The blonde finds his energy returning when the plates are set down in front of him. He has missed meals like this since they returned to the village. If Granny des one thing, she always makes sure he has enough food. He wolfs down the fish and vegetables, taking care not to choke. Every time he finishes a plate, another is placed in front of him and he can't be more grateful.

Eventually, Shizune excuses herself and leaves the two blondes to themselves. Naruto eventually slows down and his body grows heavy. All he wants to do is go to sleep but the last thing he wants to do is to go home. When he's this tired, sometimes he doesn't wake up when the alarm seals are activated, and that has only spelt trouble for him in the past.

He looks up at chocolate eyes that seem to just be soaking him in. If he stays here, he wouldn't have to worry about sleeping too soundly because his _mother_ would be keeping him safe. Remember how it felt to be wrapped in her strong arms makes him want to do it again. He didn't have any nightmares the week he spent sleeping in her arms. He usually had one every other day, and he would definitely have one tonight with how tired he is.

"Can I sleep here tonight?" Naruto whispers, afraid to look at her and see her refuse him.

Tsunade lifts his chin up and gives him a soft smile. "You are always welcome to stay here, baby. You don't need to ask."

Naruto nods his head as heat rises to his cheeks. It baffles him how much she cares about him. Tsunade takes his hand and leads him further into the apartment before stopping at a door. She pushes it open and Naruto sees a room with grey blue walls and carpet with multicolored squares under the bed. The bed's comforter is blue with the occasional red stripe. There's scrolls and books about ninjutsu, fūinjutsu, and medical jutsu on the bookshelves. What looks like new ninja tools are on the table and Naruto just stands there in wonder. This is everything he's ever wanted.

"I made it for you when we came back to the village in case you wanted to move in with us." Naruto can feel the nerves coming off his mother. She's afraid he doesn't like it.

"It's perfect." Naruto breathes, and Tsunade walks into the room to show him where his pjs are. Naruto can feel the heat take over his face, "I was wondering if I could sleep in your bed…" His voice is quite and part of him hopes she doesn't hear him.

Tsunade gives him an understanding smile as she grabs him a part of clothes and walks up to him. "You are always welcome in my room." She cups his face and he leans into it.

They walk further into the hall and Tsunade opens the door to her room and shows him the bathroom. Naruto gets dressed before jumping into bed. He waits for his mother who comes out of the closet in her own jammies. Naruto feels bad about making her go to sleep before seven but the selfish part of him doesn't care.

The older blonde slips into bed and Naruto doesn't waste any time curling up next to her. She wraps her arms around him and he can feel her lips in his hair. Sleep calls to him as his eyes drift shut and the last thing he hears is "I love you." 

* * *

Naruto wakes up sometime during the night. From the way that his mother's breathing he can tell that she's awake too. She always seems to wake up before him. He's not sure if it's because she just doesn't sleep or because she has some sort of six sense. He loves that she cares enough to be so in sync with him in this way.

It's completely silent expect for the beat of his mother's heart and their breathing. The way she's running her fingers through his hair fills his heart. Everything brings a peace to Naruto that he normally doesn't feel. Safe is not something that he usually feels with a companion but it always seems to be present when the older blonde is around. The sense of security and contentment gives him the courage to do something that he probably should have done twenty-six days ago when he first met her.

"Can you tell me our story?"

Tsunade's heart beat picks up at his request. She closes her eyes and buries her nose in his hair, breathing him in. This is the moment she's been waiting for and she's not going to let it past her by. She scoots further down in bed so her forehead is pressed against his and she can look into his open blue eyes. "The moment I found out about you was the moment I fell in love you."

Her voice is a whisper against his face. Naruto is steadily avoiding her eyes, preferring instead to stare at her neck. She cups his cheek and pulls his body closer to her. "I didn't want to share you. Not one bit. I wanted to take you way, to raise you where no one was ever going to find us." She kisses his nose and Naruto fiddles with her necklace.

"Why didn't you?" Naruto mutters, his eyes darting up to hers and then away.

"Because I couldn't, in good conscience, take you away from your father." Tsunade brushes some hair out of his eyes, hoping that his precious blue's will find her again. "Now, looking back, I should have had the two of you meet after you were born. We would have been far away from the village the night that everything happened and I never would have lost you."

Tears fall from Tsunade's eyes as the pain of the memory of losing her baby comes over her in a wave. She felt like she was going to die for years after it happened. The only reason she didn't drink herself to death was because of Shizune.

"But then I became a demon and you didn't want me anymore." Her baby sounds so confused and heart broken, that she grabs his chin so their eyes can meet.

"You are not a demon." She knows her voice is hard, but she wants that thought, that idea, to be banished from his mind. "You're my baby and I love you. I will fight anyone who even has the audacity to imply that." Her hand moves to the back of his head to pull him closer to her. "I won't stand for you calling yourself that either. You are my precious little boy and I will tell you that every day if I have to until you believe it."

Naruto's lips tremble and tears prick his eyes. "Then why did you leave me."

"Oh, Naru-chan." Tsunade's heart rips out of her chest. "I didn't know I was. I gave birth to you in the woods. Shizune and I were trying to get back to the leaf to get Minato to help Kushina when I went into labor. Shizune went ahead because I couldn't more very fast. It wasn't that much longer that the contracts got so strong that I had to stop to see how far along you were. It was then that I realized that you were in distress, and if I didn't do anything you were going to die." Her voice brakes and she holds him closer and he clings to her.

"I performed a C-section on myself." She whispers. "When I held you in my arms for the first time, you were so perfect; so beautiful. I didn't know it was possible to love you even more than I already did. I activated my seal to heal myself but by then I had lost so much blood."

"When I woke up. The nine-tails had already attacked the village." She mourns. "Half of the hospital had been destroyed. The half we thought you were in. We didn't know Minato had taken you for the sealing. We thought you were dead and I couldn't stay in the village without you. It was too painful."

"Why didn't anyone tell you I was alive?" Naruto sniffs, his eyes drying.

"They didn't know you were mine." Tsunade wipes away the tears. "We had kept it a secret that I was pregnant. I was afraid you would be targeted if people knew I was having a baby."

"So, you wanted me?" Naruto doesn't know if he wants the answer, but he asks any ways. People are always telling him that they should have killed him at birth and he's terrified she thinks that too.

"With all of my soul." Tsunade vows, never breaking eye contact.

"Do you love me?" He needs the reassurance.

"With all of my heart."

They lay together, both seeking comfort in the other's presence. For the first time in a long time, Tsunade feels her heart start to heal. All of the ragged edges are sown together and heal just by her baby's presence. Naruto feels the massive hole that always mocked him, telling him that there was something wrong with him, fills and he feels like he can breathe easy for one of the first times.

"I thought you were dead. I needed you." Naruto whispers.

"I know, Naru-chan. I should have been here. We should have been together. You have no idea how much I wish we had been. But I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere."

Naruto tucks his head under her chin and they hold each other as pains began to heal. Tsunade holds him close and whispers into his ear how much she loves him, that they will never be separated again, and that she will always be here for him. A small smile graces Naruto's face as he falls back asleep.

 **A/N:** Sorry for the long wait. I usually don't like to post a new chapter until I have the next one written. The problem is that I'm not sure exactly I want to happen next so I'm have troubles writing it. I have vague plans on where I want it to end but I'm not sure how to get there. I'm going to open this much to requests. Tell me if you want to see something and or what direction you think the story is going to go and hopefully it will help get my creative juices flowing again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Oniisan!" The real Naruto shouts to his brother who is teaching two of his clones Wind Style: Gale Surge. "I did it! It took me almost seven years, but I healed the damn fish!"

Asuma comes over and claps Naruto on the shoulder. "It's about time!" He starts laughing and ruffles Naruto's hair. "I knew you could do it."

Naruto looks down at the fish and he can't wipe the smile off of face. He's been working on it so long that he didn't think he was ever going to be able to do it, but now he is one step closer to his dreams. He can't help but think of Tsunade. She would want to know that he finally did it, right? Moms are supposed to be happy about this sort of thing, right? And ever since he had learned the truth about what happened, they had grown close, but he wasn't sure if he was ready for that step.

Kurama's always pushing him to open up, saying he needs the connections that he told Gaara he needed to find. It's weird to think that so much has changed in so little time. He's written Gaara about it and his fellow jinchuuriki told him to embraces it while he can because she might turn on him eventually, and even though it will hurt, the pain will be worth it.

"You should go tell your mother." Asuma pushes him towards the village. "I'm sure she wants to know."

"You don't think she's like everyone else and will get upset that I'm getting stronger?" Naruto needs the confirmation. His heart and his head are telling him two different things and he really doesn't know what to do.

"I don't think you're ever going to find some more different than everyone else then Lady Tsunade." Asuma puffs some smoke and grins. "Expect maybe a certain Hyūga heiress."

Naruto eyes are as wide as saucers as he looks at his brother. "Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!"

"I know more than you think I do. I'll continue to train the clones. You go impress your mother."

Naruto searches his brother's face and Asuma seems to genuinely think this is a good idea. "Okay…" Naruto hesitates before leaving, halfway hoping Asuma will call him back.

When he doesn't, Naruto makes his way back to the village. His stomach is a ball of nerves. Despite what Kurama is currently telling him. He doesn't think the incubator will really care that he finally made progress in his medical ninjutsu. At least he's not sure… Parents usually are proud when their kids achieve stuff. Obaasan was always happy whenever he or Asuma Oniisan did anything. His relationship with his "mother" was different the other kids his age. He's only known her for like 2 months.

He'll trust his Oniisan and show the Old Lady what he can do. Maybe he should show Shizune too... Naruto pulls out one of his storage scrolls and opens it so he can release Tonton. He knew it was stupid how much this little pig means to him, but no one had given him something like this before. He runs his thumb over carefully sewn thread and admires how long this must have taken her to make.

Shizune had to care for him too, right? Why else would she take the time to make him this? He has so many questions in his head and he doesn't know how to deal with them all. Then comes the emotions. He's never been particularly good at processing his emotion and this isn't making it any better.

Naruto seals the push up before entering the village. He jumps up on the rooftops to make it to the Hokage tower sooner. As he gets closer he starts to worry that she's going to get mad that he just showed up out of the blue. After all, they weren't supposed to meant for dinner for another four hours. Kurama keeps telling him it will be alright but his hands start to sweat. He really hopes this isn't going to be a bad idea.

He scurries into threw the doors and hugs the walls as he makes his way towards the Hokage's office. His heart feels like it's going to exploded out of his chest but he keeps going. He sees Shizune leaning over her desk and he steps up behind her and pokes her in the back. She jumps in surprised and whips around.

"Naruto!" she exclaims, clutching her chest. "You're early. Is everything okay?" She presses her hand against his forehead taking his temperature.

Naruto's face has taken on the color of his clan symbol and his eyes dart around to see the shinobi and civilians in the room looking at them weirdly. "I'm okay, Shizune." He pulls his face away from her and looks down at his feet. "I was wondering if I could see the Old Lady."

Shizune has to suppress her smile at seeing her little brother's reaction. "She just doing paper work for the rest of the day, so you can go on in."

Naruto rubs the back of his neck and his face turns redder. "Can you come too?"

"Of course." Shizune can't help the grin that comes to her face. She hasn't spent nearly enough time with her Otouto. Together they walk to the double doors. They wait until Tsunade's low voice tells them to enter and the Shizune pushes the door open. "Naruto is here to see you."

Tsunade's eyes have already found him and are searching him. "Are you okay, did you get hurt?" She stands from her chair and is running her chakra covered hands over him before he can say anything.

"I'm okay, sheesh." Naruto complains in embarrassment. "Can't I come see you without anything being wrong?" He scuffs his foot and only meets Granny's eyes when she lifts his chin up.

"You can come whenever you'd like." The smile on her face helps his blush subside and his heart clam down. "I love having you here with me."

"Yeah?" Naruto needs to be sure and he looks for any trace of a lie on her face.

"Always." He finds no deception and smiles up at her. Someone besides his three precious people actually want him around. Tsunade leads him over to the couch and they sit down together with Shizune taking Naruto's other side.

He bites his lips, nervous once again. "I want to show you something…" He reaches for the scroll on his back, only to freeze when it's not there. Horror fills him when he realizes that he left it in the clearing with Asuma. Doubt fills him as he berates himself for being so stupid. This is the reason he came here and he forgot the one thing he needs. He was too busy worrying about showing up unexpected to notice that the scroll wasn't on his back. "I forgot…" He clenches his fists as Kurama whispers to him to just ask if she has a scroll here. "Can I borrow a medical training scroll?"

Tsunade runs her fingers through Naruto's hair and kisses his head. "Of course." Shizune gets up and goes to the bookcase to grab the requested scroll. Shizune sets the scroll on the coffee table and rolls it out in front of him and places a fish on the seal.

Naruto wipes his hands on his pants and scoots himself forward in his seat. He molds the Kurama's chakra in is belly and forces into the seals he's inked to his wrists. His chakra the flows into the fish and makes it and his hands glow a soft organe. It takes about a minute, but soon the fish is flopping around on the table and he looks up to see if maybe Tsunade is proud of him.

He doesn't have to wonder because she is looking at him with the biggest smile and a look of wonder. "You did it, baby." He can tell that she wants to hug him and he wants that too. Her hugs make him feel good inside. He leans towards her just a little and that's all she needs to wrap her arms around him and hold him tight. "I'm so proud of you!"

"That's amazing Naruto-kun!" Shizune praises and Naruto's cheeks turn pink again. "We need to go celebrate!"

"What do you want to do Naruto? It's your day." Tsunade pulls back and looks into his beautiful blue eyes. expecting.

"Aren't you working?"

Tsunade brushes the hair out of his eyes and smile down at him. "I only have paperwork left for today and I can just do it tomorrow. Besides," she pulls Naruto up and Shizune leads the two blonds out the door. "I would rather spend the day with you."

.

 **.**

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 _Walking down the streets of the village is a lot different when you're walking next to the Hokage,_ Naruto thinks. None of the usual whispers are following him and the glaring is at a minimum. It makes him feel a little weird but in a good way.

"Have you decided where you want to go?" Shizune asks.

"I don't know…" Naruto mutters, thinking about the lack of money in his pocket. "I don't really have any money right now…" he whispers and Tsunade almost misses it. She stops the blonde and turns him to look at her.

"When you're with me, you don't pay for anything." Tsunade's voice is firm and brokers no arguing.

"Okay." Naruto's cheeks burn again and he wants to face palm. He hates that he blushes so much around her. He's a man, this shouldn't be such a big deal. He bites his lip and thinks about the things that he needs. Clothes is the first thing he thinks of. He wardrobe has taken quite the beat in the past couple of months and he hasn't made enough money to replace them all. But then she would find out just how poor he really is. After all, he buys the cheapest he can. But then again, if she buys them then there won't be any demon taxes. "Can we go clothes shopping?"

Tsunade is surprised. Clothes shopping is the last thing that she thought he would say. He thought he would want to go to the weapons shop or something more like that. "Anything you want, Naruto."

Naruto guides the trio to the ninja supply store and the bell rings as they walk in. "I'll be there in a couple of minutes!" The store owner shouts out from the back.

The blonde walks straight to the back right and start rifling through the bargain bin. Tsunade holds back a grimace when she sees him looking for his orange jump suit in his size. "Have you looked at any of these other outfits, Naruto?" she asks, trying to distract him from the repulsive orange.

He looks over at the clothes she points out with a longing, which confuses her. "They're too much money…" Looking at the price tag, she sees that a whole outfit is only 5675 yen and the ones he's looking at are 1135 yen. "Remember, I'm paying. You don't have to worry about money."

Naruto looks down and bites his lip. "But I'll have to replace them when they get ruined…"

Tsunade bends down so she can look him in the eyes. "I'll get you new ones then too." Naruto shuffle and then nods and Tsunade couldn't be happier.

Naruto looks at all the different shinobi clothes and picks up a pair black shinobi pants and ankle to shin wraps. He hasn't had clothes this nice since Obaasan was alive. He walks to another aisle and smiles at black top the buttons along the right shoulder seam with three quarter long sleeves. He grabs that a mesh shirt, grey grey arm protectors and grey pants that bunch at this calf. He approaches the older blonde and holds out his arms. "I like these."

"Don't you want more than one?" She prods. Naruto's blush is back and he nods his head. "I'll go get some more. You tell the cashier you're getting ten."

Tsunade and Shizune go to pick out more clothes for him while he approaches the counter with a gulp. He places the bundle down when an older man emerges from the back. He eyes narrow at Naruto and quirks his lip like he smells something disgusting. "What are you doing here?"

"I want to buy these clothes," Naruto can already tell this is going to blow up, and can't help but be glad it will. "I'm with the Ho—"

"56800 yen." He demands.

"I need ten pairs…" Naruto hedges, already knowing what he's going to say.

"113600 yen." The young blonde braces himself for what's coming next.

An angry blonde with fire in her eyes comes out of an aisle. "113600 yen? That more than twice what their worth."

"Hokage-sama!" The man jumps, sweating like a pig. "I didn't see you there!"

"Obviously!" She sneers, grabbing his shirt and pulling him towards her. "Why are you charging him extra?"

"I—i—it's—" Naruto doesn't really blame the man for not wanting to answer. He wouldn't want to either in his place.

"It's the demon tax…" Naruto whispers.

"DEMON TAX!" Both Tsunade and Shizune shout, outraged.

"I told you." Kurama grumbles. "You should have told her sooner."

"I didn't want to bother her…" Naruto's eyes are wide as he watches the Hokage threaten the life of a civilian.

"I highly doubt you could ever bother her about something like this." Kurama huffs. "It's more likely she'll be bothered that you didn't tell her sooner."

"I wonder what she's going to do when she finds out about everything else." Naruto shutters at the thought. The blood vessel in her forehead might actually burst instead of just threatening like it's currently doing. Kurama's laughter echoes in his head as Shizune turns to him.

"Naruto, why didn't you tell us." There is a pain in her eyes he doesn't understand.

"I. . ." He doesn't know how to answer the question. "It's not a big deal. It's been this way since Obaa-san died and Onii-san left." He looks away, the old pain resurfacing. "They say I need to pay back the village for damage the Kyuubi inflicted twelve years ago. It better then what it used to be."

Shizune breaths through her nose. "That wasn't your fault. If anything they should be thanking you for saving them." She gives him a long look. "Is there anything else we should know about?"

Naruto thinks about to all the times he has had to clean up his apartment after the villagers have trashed it. Looking over at the angry blonde that's finishing the transaction with the shopkeeper bleeding from his forehead. She seems angry enough without adding anything more to it. "Yep."

Shizune follows his eyes to her sensi and then back at him. "We'll talk about this later, okay?" Naruto nods his head as Tsunade grabs their purchases and ushers them out of the store, huffing as they went.

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Naruto slows his breathing as he tries to reach that calm place inside himself. He pushed all of his negative feelings, thoughts, and desires into their box and hides that box into the deepest recesses of his mind. After several minutes of meditating he reaches the buji's mindscape and smiles as he feels the warmth of Kurama's fur against his back and opens his eyes. Gaara sat in front of him with Shukaku locked in a cage several yards behind him.

"Naruto. . ." Gaara smiles and this time it doesn't seem to be as painful to form as it used to be.

"I heard the new Kazekage is sending you and your siblings to Kohana on a diplomatic mission in a month." Naruto smiles, looking forward to showing Gaara around Kohana and to his precious people. He's never been able to introduce a friend to anyone and he's looking forward to this chance.

"Baki Sensei wants to help strengthen the relationship between our two villages and he has accepted my request to be apart of it." Gaara plays with some sand between his fingers, avoiding looking at Naruto. The blonde knows that if he stays silent long enough, that the redhead will ask what Naruto knows he wants to ask.

He patience is rewarded when Gaara meets eyes and speaks. "Would you fix my seal."

Naruto opens and shuts his mouth. " I can try." He rubs the back of his neck. "I'm not a seal master yet; you might want someone with more experience to fix it."

Gaara is silent in his way that lets Naruto know that he needs to rethink his stance on the subject. "There is no one I trust more to fix this then you." His hand grips his stomach, as a reminder of what they both share.

"I'll need to make a plan." Naruto moves closer. "Can I take a look at the seal?"

Gaara nods and lifts up his shirt. Naruto's eyes trace the lines on his three incomplete seals. It seems like the person who put the seal there was trying to make a new seal, but since they didn't have enough knowledge on fūinjutsu, they just took pieces from other seal and smashed them together with an incomplete understanding on what they were doing.

"The seal isn't complete." Naruto takes out a paper and pen to copy it all down. "I'm going to have to do some research on how to add the barrier and filter glyphs without damaging the structure that is already in place."

Gaara is silent until Naruto finishes his assessment. "Do you think you will finish figuring it out by the time we arrive next month?"

"I'll have to ask the Old Lady if I can see some more advanced fūinjutsu from the Uzumaki Clan. A complex matrix will have to be added to complete the seal." Naruto muttered while using his chakra to test the flow of Gaara's seal. He would also have to adjust channels in the seal to improve the saturation into his chakra network.

"Do you think you'll have a solution by the time I arrive." Gaara pulls his shirt down and his eyes pleads in the way only Gaara can. His eye show a glimmer of hope while this face is resigned to the disappointment life has taught him is inevitable.

"I will," Naruto gave Gaara a true smile that only a few have seen in his life. It's a smile that comes when another person shows complete faith and confidence in you. "It's a promise of a lifetime." Naruto sticks his fist out for Gaara to bump.

Gaara high fives his first and the cocks his head and and looks up to the ceiling. "Konkaru is calling me, I have to go. We'll meet again in a week?"

"Next week." Naruto confirms as their shared mindscape fades and he's left in his own.

He and Kurama sat in the shade of a great tree in their meadow. White flowers surround them and the sky is a brilliant blue. Naruto lays back against Kurama as he tries to think back to everything he has learned about fūinjutsu, but he can't think of anything he's seen or read that's close to what he needs to do. If his obaasan was here he could talk to her about it. She had been taught by Mito obaasan and had started teaching him fūinjutsu a couple months before she was killed.

He would given anything if either of his obaasans were with him today. He has so much he needs to learn, but he there aren't any real seal masters left to teach him. The perverted sage claims to be seal master but from what he's seen, his seals are sloppy and leaves something to be desired.

Breathing deeply, he knows there is really only one thing left for him to do. He sits up straighter and centers his body and mind. Meditating had always been hard for him. There are just too many thoughts running through his mind to really achieve a true level of peace. As something being hard has never deterred him, Naruto pushes through and searches the memories that Kurama showed him about fūinjutsu. His only hope is to push a little more, to see just a little more, and try to find something that will help him find a solution to Gaara's problem.

He is so engrossed with is thoughts that he doesn't hear the footsteps approaching him, until a voice that sounds like shouting his meditative state. "Hello, Naruto."

 **.**

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 **.**

Tsunade is sitting in her office drudging through her paperwork. Somehow, no matter how much she finishes the day before, there is only more. There has to be a way to lessen the stacks. Maybe if she delegates more the problem will be fixed. The only problem with that, is that the only because she could delegate to are her advisors, the elders of the village, and she doesn't even trust them with a marshmellow.

Leaning back in her chair she looks out over the village. In order to replace them, she will need the majority vote in the council meeting. She needs 9 of the 17 votes but it is possible. The Hyuga, Aburame, Hatake, Yamanaka, Nara, Sarutobi, Inuzuka, and Akimichi clans will side with her. The Shimura, Tenma, Kohaku, Hoki, Kurama, and Tenma clans, along with Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane will vote against her. That only left the Lee clan that would cast the deciding vote.

Tsunade smiles to herself. Turning them to her side won't be hard once she finalizes her plans to fix Rock Lee's spine. Those old bastards are being thrown out of their asses if it's the last thing she does. Then it would free up some of her time to spend with her son after selecting advisors she trusts. When he was still a fetus, she had plans on how she would train him to make sure he could protect himself. She would have to make some adjustments to them but she can't wait for the quality bonding time. That is, if he wants her to train him.

She is pulled from her thoughts when Shizune sticks her head into the room. "Tsunade-sama, Naruto is here to see you."

"Send him in." She would think that it was her thoughts that called him here, but as it hasn't worked every other time she's thought of him, she doesn't try to fool herself.

Naruto comes in looking a little shy and rubbing his neck. "Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor."

"Anything." Her heart picks up at the thought that he wants her to train him too. That would be too coincidental though, right? Her mind runs through all the different trainings she wants to put him through and all the jutsu she wants to teach him. Earth is her primary affinity so she'll teach him how to develop that chakra, since she isn't any good with wind.

"Can I borrow the Uzumaki and Senju fūinjutsu scrolls and books? There is a project I'm working on." He gives her a timid smile and her heart breaks. He doesn't want to spend more time with her after all.

She only lets the disappointment settle in herself for a second before she's successfully pushed her emotions down. "Of course, sweetheart."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Here is the next chapter. Thanks to TheBeautyInTheDarkness for being my beta and taking the time to help me polish the chapter. Let me know what you guys think!

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 **Chapter 11**

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Tsunade taps her nail against the hardwood of her desk as she stares at Katsuyu. She knew as soon as she gave into her precious little boy's request it had been a mistake. Shizune said she needed to show more faith in him and let him go on a C rank mission, so when he asked she found the safest mission currently available. It was supposed to be a simple escort mission and it had turned into a nightmare.

When the Katsuyu with Naruto told her what was happening she wanted to run to him, to protect him. It irritated her to no bounds that the position she took to protect him was preventing her from being there when he needed her. The only thing that gave her strength is knowing her baby took after her. He was able to defeat a Jonin and complete his mission without getting seriously injured; at least Katsuyu has told her he isn't injured. She will confirm that when he gets back.

Then there was the things her little boy was hiding from her. Her baby can use suiton jutsu. When Katsuyu told her that, she started planning out how she was going to train him. She would use the teaching plan her Ojisan used with her. After all, there was no one better than Tobirama Senju at suiton jutsu. Tsunade looked forward to the time she would spend with him. She likes to imagine that it will bring them closer together, and finally make him comfortable letting everyone know they are family.

She was lost in thought until her attention is pulled to Katsuyu. "Lady Tsunade, Naruto is approaching the gates. He should. . ." Tsunade was out the window before she could finish. The little slug just sighs before disappearing back home.

Tsunade leaps over houses as her eyes land on a mop of blonde hair in the distance. She jumps one more time before landing 3 feet from him. The other 5 people with him are overlooked as she rushes forward and crushes him in her arms. She cradles his head against her chest and relishes the feeling of her baby in her arms. It isn't until he starts to really struggle that she lets him go.

"Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" She coats her hands in green chakra as she runs them over his body, not fully believing his assurances that he's fine. His clothes are worn and he's a little dirty but she doesn't find anything that would cause concern, so she pulls him to her once again and whispering how much she missed him so the others didn't hear.

When she pulls away once again, his face is as red as a bell pepper. "I told you I was fine. . ." She sees his eyes dart to a red headed boy who gives him a faint smile, which made Naruto's blush to recede. He smiles back and Tsunade looks over the boys whom she assumes is her friends son. He has black circles under his eyes, a sign of untreated insomnia over the course of several years. The kanji for love is scarred into his forehead and by the strain of his smile, she can tell that he doesn't use his facial muscles often.

"Hokage-sama, can you look over Sasuke-kun?" Sakura brings her out of her assessment and she turns to look at the girl and the Uchiha. He is leaning against the kunoichi, who is the only reason he's standing. Bandages cover his arms, legs, and left cheek, while a bruise is blooming on his right eye which makes his glare laughable.

"He seems to be fine." Tsunade finishes her assessment and wraps her arm around her baby's shoulder as she leads the group into the village. "Take him to be looked over at the hospital and Naruto can give the mission report." She ignores the bewildered look on the Uchiha's face and confusion on Sakura's, and instead turns to the sand siblings. "I assume you three are the delegation from the sand?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Temari nods her head. "Baki-sensei sent us to discuss a joint chunin exam between our two villages."

Tsunade hums as she looks up to the Hokage tower. "We can discuss this further, back at my office."

She listens to her son's idle chatter with the three siblings and her heart warms. She's never seen him act this open with anyone other than Asuma. While she's happy he has good friends like these, she's a little jealous that she's still waiting for him to open up to her. It was one of the things she hoped for when she was pregnant with him, and it was taken away from her before she even had the chance to grab onto even try. Now she was fighting an uphill battle to find a place in his heart.

When they reach her office, she looks over the documentation that Temari gave her, and smirked to herself when Naruto was shocked that both she and Kankuro are chunin and already were when they entered the last exams. It was common when a jinchūriki entered an exam with other villages to have their teammates be chunins. She would have to think more on her response to the Kazekage.

She pulls a sheet out of her top right drawer and fills it out before clearing her voice and offering it to the blonde kunoichi. "I will have to think more about this. You may stay at the inn while you wait for my response. This letter will let them know to send the bill to me."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." The three bow and make their way to leave. Naruto reaches out his hand though, stopping Gaara.

"Can you stay back for a second." He asks and glance back to her. Gaara nods, making plans with his siblings to meet later. Naruto waits for them to leave before turning to her and rubbing his neck. "I wanted to introduce you to my friend." He cheeks turn red and she can't help but think how adorable he is. "This is Gaara. Gaara this is. . ." Naruto hesitates and his eyes grow big. He doesn't know what to say and he prays he'll call her the one name she's been waiting 12 years, 7 months, and 17 days to hear. "This is my. . . this. . . her name is Tsunade."

Gaara just gives his strained smile and bows his head slightly. "It's an honor to meet Naruto's mother, Tsunade-san. He has told me a lot about you."

The disappointment and shock she felt were at war within her. On one hand she is disappointed that once again her baby still didn't feel comfortable calling her mom, and on the other he told another person that she was his mother. Getting up, she walks around her desk and stretches out her hand to take his. "It's nice meeting a friend of my Naruto-kun's friends." She tries out the affectionate term. It feels nice on her lips, and looking at her baby and his small smile, it isn't hated.

"We were wondering if we could use one of the sealing rooms tonight." Naruto's eyes are steady; she can tell he's thought a lot about it. "When Shikaku was sealed into Gaara, they used three incomplete seals, and it's damaging his health."

Her eyes lock with Gaara's when he begins to speak. "I would like Naruto to fix it. I would like to sleep without fear of losing control and setting Shikaku free." He is standing firm, it reminds her of how Naruto stands when he believes something is right. Like when he saved her from Kabuto. He had a determined glint in his eyes that reminded her of Nawaki. Her little boy and his friend have just as much determination as her brother and it warms her heart.

She looks between the two weighing her options. "I will agree to you using a room under the condition that you walk me through the process. Adjusting a working seal is dangerous and I want to make sure you thought of everything." She knew he was training to become a seal master but she didn't know how close he was, and this type of seal work required a mastery of the art she wasn't sure he possessed. She didn't want him to think she was doubting him though. This way she could make sure everything is safe without giving him that impression.

"I can do that." Naruto nods his head and smiles at her before turning to Gaara. "I'll met you, Temari, and Kankuro for dinner later, okay? I have to give my mission report." Gaara nods before saying goodbye to the two blondes and going in search of his siblings.

Tsunade guides her baby to the couch before they both sit down and she grasps his hands in her's and runs her thumbs over his knuckles. "Katsuyu told me you were attacked by a jōnin?"

"Well," Naruto starts and looks out the window. "That was his rank but he really wasn't that strong. He only gained that rank after defecting from Konoha after stealing Tobirama-ojisan's sword." He rolls up his sleeve and she notices a storage seal on his arm. "I was able to get it back. . ." He hesitates before releasing the sealing and revealing the contents. "But I broke it. . . I'm sorry."

Tsunade looks at a hilt that resembles vajra and a blade of yellow. The last time she saw this was the day she put it in the village vault. When she heard it had been stolen, she thought it was part of her curse. That she would lose everything and everyone that meant anything to her. It seems like her baby was going to bring everything back to her.

"Thank you, baby." She whispers fights the desire to pull him into her arms. "You can't imagine what this means to me."  
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Naruto leads Gaara through the hallways for the hospital, giving the redhead silent encouragement. He had been adamant about apologizing for almost killing Lee but now that he was here, fear seemed to engulf him. He'd never regretted an action before and the conflicting emotions swirled within him like a sand storm.

The door creaks open and his black rimmed eyes are drawn to the bushy browed ninja dressed in a grey hospital gown. It was strange for him to see the first ninja that has ever made him bleed looking so fragile in a hospital bed. A weight settled in his chest as feelings of apprehension consumed him. He had never felt guilty about any of his actions until now and the new emotion isn't one he wants to experience often.

"Hey, Lee." Naruto pulls a seat closer to his friend's bed and sits down.

"Naruto," Lee tears his eyes away from the red head and looks at his friend. "How was your mission?"

The blonde grins at the memory. "It was a success. We protected our client while he ran the race and we repossessed the second Hokage's sword."

Lee's mouth fell open and his wide eyes stare at Naruto. "The Sword of the Thunder God?! That was lost years ago!"

Naruto leans back in his chair and puts his hands behind his head. "The ninja that stole it was apart of the team tasked with killing our client."

Lee clenches his fist and raise it in triumph. "The flames of youth burn bright in you, Naruto! I only hope that one day I can join you on a mission so our flames of youth can burn together!"

The blonde chuckles and sits up right in his chair. "I look forward to that." His face grows serious as he looks his friend in the eye. "Have they scheduled the surgery yet?"

Determination shines in Lee's eyes as he refuses to drop his gaze. "It's scheduled for a week from now and the physical therapy will start the next day. I can finally see an end to this storm."

After listening to the exchange between friends, Gaara felt it was finally his turn to join the conversation. He had been practising the what he was going to say for a month; he only hoped it was enough. "Lee-san, I want to. . . apologize for hurting you like I did. I wasn't myself. I. . . took it too far and. . . I wish I could do something. . . to make it right."

Gaara looks down in shame and misses the soft smile Lee gives him. "It is okay, Gaara. Naruto has already explained to me that was the results of sleep deprivation and the Ichibi's incomplete seal. I only hope that you will find a way to make the seal stronger so something like this will not happen again."

The red-head nods in agreement. "Naruto has been looking to a way to fix it."

"It's one of the reasons he came to the leaf." The blonde confirms. "I'll make the adjustments and he'll have to wait at least a week before he can mold chakra again without putting his life at risk.

Lee gives Gaara a bright smile. "It looks like your storm is almost over too."

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Gaara lays on a sealing table with his shirt off, glad that Naruto has finally finished explaining the process to his mother so they can start. When he had first decided to get his seal fixed, he thought when the moment actually came he would be a little fearful. Now he finds that his confidence in his friend out weights any apprehension he might have felt.

Naruto on the other hand, was nervous. He has never held a life in his hands like this and he's not sure if he wants to get used to the feeling. One little mistake and it could mean his friends death. Taking a deep breath, Naruto grabs a brush and sealing in. "Are you ready Gaara?" His pulse is thudding hard enough he can feel it in his chest, but he tries to give his friend a reassuring smile.

The red head wasn't fooled though. "I have every confidence in you." He learned over the past few months was Naruto's greatest weakness was his lack of confidence. It came from being told he was worthless and was never going to amount to anything all his life. He is hopeful that having his mother and sister in his life will help raise his self-esteem.

Naruto dips his brush in ink and tries to control his breathing. When he planned this, he hadn't anticipated how nerve racking it would be. His eyes dart up to find his. . . Tsunade's eyes, and he is overwhelmed with the amount of confidence shining in them. He has vague memories of his Obaasan looking at him like this, but it's been so long that the memories have faded.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Naruto brings the brush down and begins the sealing work. He works slow to make sure he doesn't make any mistakes, and buy the time he finishes it's couple hours later. He forms a seal and pushes chakra into the ink to finish the seal, before giving Gaara a huge smile.

"It's finished."

Gaara sits up on his elbows to see the new ink on his skin. His chakra already feels more stable, lacking any of the power spikes he usually feels within his network. His fingers run over the lines and tries to feel Shikaku's influence in his emotions and impulse. For the first time in his life, everything is quiet. It's just him in his mind and the emptiness leaves him in peace.

Tsunade approaches her son and pride fills her heart. He had learned so much on his own and is on his way to becoming a fūinjutsu master, and that is not something many people can say. She steps towards him and cups his cheek. "I'm so proud of you." A blush warms his face and Tsunade can't help but think how cute he is. Tearing her eyes from her little boy, she steps closer to the sand ninja and runs some diagnostic jutsu to check his vitals. "I would like to keep you in the hospital a few days for observation but if nothing concerning happens you can leave by the end of the week."

Gaara sits up right and puts his shirt back on. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. You don't know how much this means to me."

"You don't have to thank me, Gaara." She gives him a comforting smile. "I would do anything for a friend of Naruto's. Would the two of you like to join me for dinner."

Gaara looked at Naruto and the blonde could tell the redhead would follow his lead. When he thought about eating dinner with her tonight, his emotions swirl inside him and he's not sure he can sit through a dinner when he's feeling conflicted. She made him rethink things he believe his whole life.

"I have plans for tonight, but can we have dinner tomorrow?" He hates the flash of disappointment he sees on her face before she agrees, but he knows he needs time to think.

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The next day Naruto was in his clearing training. He had several clones practising the Wind Style: Wind Sword, another few practising Water Style: Water Armor and sparring with each other, several trying Earth Style: Earth Throw, and another five practising eching seals with chakra. Naruto himself was going through his workout regimen.

He made some progress with his Earth chakra after he found Mito-obaasan in his mindscape, not to mention his fūinjutsu. He had been surprised when he first found her, but didn't waste a moment before he started asking her questions about seals. Without her, it would have taken him years to figure out how to fix Gaara's seal. He just didn't have the experience needed to know exactly how each part of the seal worked and would interact with other parts of the seal.

She had been an invaluable resource. After she helped him to figure out a work around for the seal, he asked her if she could teach him more about fūinjutsu and any chakra affinities she had. Since she hadn't been a ninja, she didn't know anything other then the basics of Earth chakra but he would take what he could get. The only downside is that he now has another voice in his head telling him what to do. At least she was nicer about it then Kurama.

He was brought from his thoughts when he feels a breach in his barrier. He sniffs the air and relaxes from his tense posture. He figured that his, birthlady, would come investigate his training ground eventually. From the stories Mito-obaasan told him, it was a miracle she waited this long, a she was never patient as a child.

He faces the direction his, birth lady, is coming from. He has a passing thought to dispel his clones so she doesn't know everything he is capable of to protect himself, but decides to take a chance that it won't come back and bite him in the ass. Naruto watches as pale skin and a green coat comes into view. Her hazel eyes grow wide as she looks at all 23 of him training before finding him. She walks over and sits down next to him and she gives him a half smile. "I see you've been keeping a few secrets from me."

He shrugs his shoulders and plays with the grass. "I'm usually working on a few different things at the same time and you're busy being the Hokage, I didn't want to bother you."

Tsunade lifts his chin with two fingers. "Baby, how many times do I have to tell you, nothing you tell me would ever be a bother. I want to know everything about you." She moves her hand to cup his cheek and brushes her thumb over his cheek bone. "I love you so much Naruto-kun. I wasn't apart of your life when you were younger and it kills me." Her voice cracks as the shadow of pain lances through her heart remembering those 12 years. "I want to be as active as possible in your life." His eyes are shiny and his chin trembles before he clunchs it. "I'll be as active as you let me be."

Naruto looks down and scooches closer to her so their knees touch. "I always wanted an. . . okasan. . ." He hears her breath hitch and his eyes dart up. Her eyes as like freshly warm bread as they look at him. A tear rolls down her cheek. Panic grips his chest has he follows the tear with his eyes. The last thing he wanted to do was make her cry.

In a panic, he pulls down her hand from his face and clenches it from his chest and wipes her tear away. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm not good at this stuff. I always say the wrong thing and I've never had a okasan before and I don't know what to do—"

Tsunade crushes him to her chest and rocks him back and forth. "You didn't do anything wrong Naruto-kun. I'm happy. So happy baby. You make me so happy." She runs her fingers through his golden hair guides his face into the crook of her neck. "You are perfect at this stuff, baby. I couldn't ask for a more perfect son. I love you, baby."

Naruto's heart lifts like a hot air balloon and the warm spreads to every part of his body. It's a feeling he hasn't felt in years, not since his Obaasan died. He clutches his Okaasan back, and pressing his face into her neck. He breathes deeply and her scent makes him feel safe in a way that not even his Obaasan could.


End file.
